We'll Be Forever
by Hiimprettyawesomehowboutyou
Summary: Theo King wanted her sixth year to be just like any of her other years, simple. But what happens when the Marauders finally take notice of her? Can she make it through the end of school especially when there is a war brewing about her?
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Don't own anything…

People always said that the marauders were just pranksters and wouldn't really do very much with their lives, well except for that 'Lupin kid'. I would have thought that too but that was before I knew them. That was before we laughed and cried together, that was before we died together at the Potter home, even those that still were alive, died… we weren't ever the same after that. But my story doesn't begin with the death of my friends, it begins with the lives of my friends.

My parents had always been very fixated on making themselves seem better than they truly were. They expected me to be sorted into Slytherin like the previous members of my family, unfortunately for them I wasn't. I was sorted into Gryffindor, the hat made me think he would place me in Slytherin and I was ready to accept my fate when he announced Gryffindor. I was ecstatic to say the least, sure I didn't have anything particular against the house but I didn't want to be just like everyone else in my family. I didn't want to be just another pure-blood git King.

My first five years at Hogwarts was rather uneventful. I was friends with Lily Evans, and Severus Snape, even after he and Lily had their falling out. I understood why she was mad at him but in all reality it was a simple word, Sev would never actually hurt someone because of their blood, even if he hung out with the worst of the Syltherin's. I was actually friends with a great deal of students at Hogwarts, I wasn't as notorious as the Marauders though, and actually I don't really think the Marauders even knew I existed. For the first years of my school I wasn't exactly brilliant, or pretty I was very normal, so I usually slipped among my peers easily if I wanted. That all changed though when my six year started, it was the year I really grew into myself. I had become a prefect alongside Lily and Remus Lupin. I also had found out what worked for me regarding my hair and clothes. Let's just say during the summer I became a young lady, curves and all.

The first day of six year I had felt it my best option to pull my hair into a high ponytail, I often wore it like this when I would play Quidditch, and had on one of my favorite muggle band tank tops, with shorts and sneakers. I didn't really notice how I looked in the outfit, I had worn it before but that was before I had actually gotten curves. Let's just say on the platform there were quite a bit of boys staring off in my direction.

"Lily what's up with all these gits?" I asked as we searched for an empty compartment to sit in. Usually I would sit with Sev but I had seen him earlier with some of the Slytherin's and even though we were on friendly terms I still didn't like to be with that lot for a long extended time.

"Seriously Theo? Have you not looked in the mirror lately? You are absolutely gorgeous today" she exclaimed waving her hand up and down vigorously. I immediately blushed at the prospect, I mean Lily was the one who had boys about her, not me.

"Oi Evans" Potter exclaimed coming up to us with the rest of his gang followed like lost puppies. He pretty much ignored my existence even though we had played Quidditch together since second year. So you can imagine my surprise when he looked at me with wide hazel eyes before turning back to Lily.

"Who's the girl?" Sirius asked before Potter had a chance to open his mouth. Lily scoffed while I rolled my eyes.

"Theo King, we've just had classes together since first year" I said drolly, if there was one thing I didn't like it was play boys like Black. I suppose really though it was just that I found it rather annoying that they had only just realized my existence while Lily had been on their radar for so long. Maybe I was a little jealous, sure I had friends but a boy never looked in my direction.

"Well I think I would remember a face like that" he said winking at me, this time I just started to walk away.

"Where are you going?" Lily asked her eyes pleading with me to stay but I wasn't about to stand there with the bloody Marauders.

"Off in search of Sev" I called ignoring her look of hurt, she could get over it. Even though I had quite a bit of friends I really just liked to spend most of my time between Lily and Sev. I heard Potter mutter something about Sev being a sleazy git but I ignored the comment thinking that it might not be the best way to start the school year if I hexed him.

I found Sev luckily by himself in a compartment reading a potions book.

"Hey there Sev" I said plopping down onto the seat across from him. He looked up and muttered his 'hello' before becoming immersed once more in his book.

"How was summer?" I asked taking the book from his hands and placing it next to me. He huffed in annoyance but didn't make a move to get the book.

"It was long and very boring… yours?" he asked, I knew about his father being less than friendly towards him and his mother. I would have invited him to my home for the summer but my family wasn't much better, and Sev was a half blood.

"I'm sorry Sev, you know I would have invited you to my house but…" I never told Sev or Lily exactly what my parents would do when I would return home, they didn't need to know. In short my parents either totally ignored me or would pressure me to be what they wanted me to be. I knew it could be worse, my parents could be like Sev's father but it still wasn't very pleasant when your parents barely looked at you.

"I know, don't worry about it ok? Anyway what brings you over in this direction? Didn't I see you with Lily?" he asked looking at my from the curtain of his black hair. I always thought that Sev was foolish to like Lily romantically, she would have never returned the feelings, not when Potter was after her.

"Oh well the Marauders happened, the audacity of that group of boys is outstanding" I laughed a little but Sev didn't seem to take the joke, and took a very serious expression.

"Those gits didn't try anything did they?" he said warningly, in reality Sev couldn't really ever do anything to uphold my honor but it was nice to think he would try.

"No you know I would totally squash them if they did, I practiced some hexes over the summer" I said puffing out my chest like a proud parent.

"You know you aren't supposed to do magic outside of school Theo" he scolded but there was a playfulness in his voice. Sev was really one of my best friends and it hurt to think that Lily let something like a word ruin something as precious as friendship.

"We are going to be friends forever Sev" I said smiling while he took on a sober expression.

"Nothing is forever Theo" and he was right nothing lasts forever, but our friendship would come pretty close.

"We will Sev" I said leaning back in my chair and watching as he picked his book up and resumed reading, hiding a smile behind his black hair.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Here we go!

Disclaimer: I still don't own all that much…

The rest of the train to the castle went smoothly, the Marauders didn't bother us and I was thankful for that. Severus and I sat in comfortable silence, that's how our time was often spent, it was how I liked it though. It was like with Sev I didn't need to talk he understood me, and I understood him.

Once I and Sev had gotten off of the train I spotted Lily but I really wanted to soak up the time I had with Sev, once school started our time wouldn't be so frequent. It wasn't that I let the differences of Slytherin and Gryffindor come between us, it was just that it really wasn't very practical, our classes usually were the same but other than that it really was hard to do anything fun with each other. Especially when I was on the Quidditch team, which took most of my free time.

"Aren't you going to go and sit with Lily?" Sev asked as we climbed aboard the carriages, I shook my head lightly before replying.

"Nope, Sev do you realize that we don't have very many years of school left? I mean I am not trying to be all sentimental on you but think about it! And then what Sev? What are you going to do? I think I'll be an Auror but who knows!" I was talking very animatedly by now and my arms were flailing about. Sev looked at me with a smile and shook his head playfully.

"I don't know Theo but we still have now" he said smiling lightly at my antics. I had always been a little bit off, but luckily my friends didn't mind, so I never bothered to change. I smiled thankful that he was trying to calm me down. But it wouldn't work, I had been thinking for some time what we all would be doing after school. I most certainly would be fighting against this Pure-blood campaign that loomed but what of Sev? All the Slytherin's were for it, I had heard that some had even aligned themselves with some radical who called himself Lord Voldemort… would Sev be with them? He had always tried to find a way to fit in with the others, but would he go so far? I suppose it didn't matter because I didn't care… I didn't care if he made mistakes, or did terrible things, he was Sev first, and he was my best friend.

"You're right Sev, I suppose that's all that matter huh?" I smiled genuinely this time.

"Look there's the castle, I guess this is where we part ways, huh?" he said is bitterly and I couldn't help but envelope him in a tight hug, he hesitantly returned it.

"We never will part Sev" I said laughing when he made a face.

"Why do you always sound so poetic and cryptic?" he asked shrugging me off, I frowned and shrugged before I walked into the crowd of students. Once in the Great Hall Sev and I separated, him to the Slytherin table and I to the Gryffindor. I plopped next to Lily with a loud thump and a sigh.

"Where did you go for the WHOLE ride here?" she whispered as the first years came through the doors. I looked at them with disinterest and they openly gawked at the ceiling.

"Oh you know I have tons of friends and I just couldn't shake them" I replied sarcastically as I noticed the Marauders sitting only a seat from us. Lily didn't reply, she probably was mad but it didn't matter she would get over it. Dumbledore's speech was the same as it is every year and I was thankful for the food to appear and the ceremony to be over, we got a handful of new students who all sat in a huddle together.

"Why are the Marauders sitting so close?" I asked peering past Lily to see the Marauders who were sitting in a semi-circle and whispering. Lily glanced over at them and shrugged.

"I don't know, they always sit that close don't they?" she asked and I shook my head, this year had already began to be strange.

"No they don't usually sit this close" I said in a whisper, James must really be trying to get Lily to accept him.

"Oi! King come over here why don't ya?" Black called over the rest of the hall, I rolled my eyes before I replied.

"Why don't you just go and drown Black" I yelled which earned laughs among his friends and a stony expression from him.

"Those pricks" I mumbled to Lily who looked at me reproachfully for the language but didn't say that they weren't.

"Remus isn't that bad…" Lily said thoughtfully and she was right Remus Lupin was the only Marauder that I could even hold a conversation with. But he still hung around the rest of them so he couldn't be that good of a person…

"Yah well it doesn't matter in any case…" it wasn't that the Marauders did anything to me but they were always picking on Sev and it just wasn't right, how could you act like you were something so good and like to tare others down? If I would have only known then that in a couple of months I would feel completely different.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: oh my goodness I haven't updated in so long and I am sorry… usually I try and not go this long so I don't plan on making this a routine, so sorry for it and here ya go!

Disclaimer: yah I don't own anything.

After dinner was as usual for the first day back. Potter asked Lily to date him and she vehemently said 'no'. I went straight to my bed like usual. I didn't really like to hang out in the common room because of the Marauders always being there and being obnoxious.

When the rest of the girls got to the dorm also, we sat up for a few hours talking about our summers. It usually consisted of my listening to their summers, since I didn't particularly enjoy talking about mine. My parents were blood purists, they were mad about me being sorted into Gryffindor, being friends with Lily and Sev didn't help. They weren't as bad as the Black family though, they didn't abuse me or burn my name off of the family tree. It still didn't sit well with me though, that they didn't love me as much as they did when I was little. Soon though we all went to bed, my night was pretty sleepless and at about five in the morning I rolled out of bed.

I was quick to get ready for the day, I don't wear makeup like the other's and I usually just pull my hair back into a high pony tail or have it down with a red bow in it. Today I decided a high pony tail would do and skipped down the steps to the almost empty common room.

"Oh, hello." Remus Lupin uttered looking over the seat and right at me. I gulped for a minute before I continued down towards where he was sitting.

"Hello, Remus" I said shyly, I hadn't yet actually mastered talking to cute boys. Remus Lupin definitely fell into this category. He had light brown hair that fell right above his eyes, it was constantly falling into them too, and honey colored eyes that made me want to swoon, but I didn't. I didn't because even though he was the best out of the Marauders, he still didn't do anything when they bullied other students.

"Couldn't sleep?" he asked watching me carefully as I sat on the sofa, it was far too early to head to breakfast. He, I noticed was reading a book before I had come down and had already shut it. I hope he didn't think I was going to become immersed in conversation with him.

"Um… Yah I guess I couldn't… reading?" I asked hesitantly, I really didn't feel like doing this. He chuckled and I couldn't help but scrunch my eyes in moderate disgust. I just couldn't believe that someone so… innocent seeming could actually be one of the biggest bullies of the whole school.

"Yah I usually end up here in the mornings" he seemed thoughtful and I resisted the urge to roll my eyes, was I supposed to feel sorry for him?

"What past troubles haunting your dreams?" I asked humorlessly but he didn't seem to catch it.

"You could say that" he said laughing slightly, why was he so happy?

"Well that sounds lovely… um if it's the same to you I think I will just sit here now and maybe read some of my book" I said lifting the book that I had brought down with me, it was a potions book that Sev had loaned me and I really wanted to do good on the exams this year.

"Oh yah sorry" he mumbled looking bashful before opening up his book once again. I sighed in relief that he wasn't about to protest.

"Theo? Are you down here?" Lily's voice called as she descended the stairs. It must be half past six that was usually when Lily would come down.

"Yah, I am here" I said closing my book and standing up from the couch. She smiled when she saw Remus sitting in a chair not too far from where I was sitting.

"Hello Remus, did you guys hang out?" Lily asked hopefully, I rolled my eyes. She liked Remus as a friend and was always trying to get me to accept him. I wouldn't though, not when he was so daft.

"Yah, you could say that" he said smiling slightly before closing his own book and coming to stand,

"Yah well why don't we just go down to the Great Hall?" I asked grabbing Lily's arm and pulling her out of the common room.

"Seriously that is probably the last time I will EVER get up early again!" I said exasperated, I really didn't like those Marauders.

"Really it couldn't have been THAT bad?" Lily said tiredly. I really didn't know why she tried, I mean I had been in all the classes they had been in since we started school and they barely even knew my name. Why would I try and be friends with people like that?

"Lily I know you want me to be friends with Remus and all but I just can't" I said trying to make the subject disappear.

"Why because of Severus?" she asked coming to a sudden stop. I stopped and looked at her, she had a stony expression and I was confused at why.

"Well, maybe" I said suddenly feeling small in the empty hallway. Lily met my eyes and scoffed.

"Why are you even friends with all those…? Slytherins?" she asked and I wondered where that even came from. I was friends with more Slytherins than Gryffindors, but then again I had more friends in Hufflepuff than any of the houses.

"I don't know, why do you keep saying no to Potter?" I asked, I was friends with them because it's what I wanted to do, just like she said no to Potter.

"That is not the same thing. Slytherin's will only hurt you" she said is ruefully but she looked determined. I didn't understand why ever since Sev said what he said she bought into the whole house thing, just because I was in Gryffindor didn't mean that I was impulsively brave, it just meant that I was capable of doing it… it didn't mean that I would become that though.

"Well maybe a need a little hurt in my life" I said equally as determined as we went into the hall and took our usual seats as fellow Gryffindors started to file into the hall as well. It was a good breakfast that it until the Marauders came into the hall and took the seats next to where Lily and I sat.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: WOW it has been so long and I am sorry….

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

"Excuse you what are you doing at this end?" I asked with as much venom as I could fathom, it wasn't very much if I was being honest. I really needed to work on how rude I could be, looks like the Marauders were volunteering for the practice dummies.

"Well we heard that Moony here was hanging out with you this morning and we thought we should get to know the woman who stole his heart" Black said smirking at the blushing Remus, the worst part of the whole thing was though that I couldn't help but question the nickname.

"Moony?" I asked staring at Remus who was trying to fold into himself. It seemed that THE Remus Lupin was shy, huh I would think he would have gotten over that if he hung around this lot.

"It's just some stupid nickname…" Remus murmured while the rest of them howled with laughter.

"Well your right it IS stupid" I said flipping my hair, I think I am actually doing a very good job at this whole mean thing…

"Oi Evans why is your friend being such a sour puss?" Black said eyeing me, he really did have nice eyes like all the girls said he did.

"I am not being a sour puss! I am just trying to get you lot to leave… so will you? Leave that is" I said moving my hands as to emphasize my point, they looked at me for a moment before Black said something again.

"Your cute when your embarrassed" he was smiling at me now, he had a nice smile too… darn it, why did his parents have to give him such good genetics… even Regulus was a very handsome boy.

"Look you made her blush Padfoot" Potter laughed pointing to my red face. I didn't mean to blush but this boy really knew how to get in your head.

"Ok well I have to go…" I said scrambling from the table, leaving Lily to fend for herself. I knew I was being a coward but I never did too well with attractive males, they made me nervous and I could think straight. I had plenty of male friends but with them I never even considered them datable, but the Marauders were, well… they were them! I actually resented myself a little for thinking about the possibilities of dating the smiling Sirius or the quiet Remus, not when they constantly hurt Sev.

I actually arrived early for DADA, so I sat there reading the Potions book that Sev loaned me. It was really interesting actually, it had all his notes about how to make the potions even better, he was brilliant. I was still immersed in the book when someone plopped down into the seat next to me. I expected to see Lily but when I looked up it was Remus Lupin with a goofy smile.

"Um… Are you lost?" I asked dumbly looking at him with a scrunched up expression. He smiled lightly and chuckled before making himself comfortable in his seat.

"No I actually like to sit up front too" he said taking out his supplies. I was sitting in the front but Remus usually would sit with the others of his group and I usually sat with Lily.

"Um ok…" I said starting to put the book in my bag and going for my notebook.

"Sorry by the way about… well the whole breakfast ordeal" he said motioning awkwardly, I smiled thankfully and mumbled 'its ok' before the rest of the students came into the classroom. The class was actually very awkward every once and a while I would look at Remus and sometimes I would catch him watching me, and it kept me on edge. I didn't like the feeling of being watched plus, it kept me on edge wondering what his game was. Why was he watching me and what did he have planned.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: To Jellytaco I tried to make it longer… idk if I succeeded but I tried. Also I don't really know how I feel about this chapter but I am trying to get Theo to get to know Remus so that she becomes friends with him and therefore the rest of the Marauders… except for maybe Peter… I don't know about Peter.

Disclaimer: yah still own nothing at all… well except for Theo….

I was so late! Potter was going to kill me, the team didn't really need to practice with me, I was the Seeker and therefore didn't really interact with anyone. But he was very particular when it came to Quidditch and I generally wanted to stay on his good side when it came to this. I was currently running down to the field when I ran into something hard, I was about to curse out whoever caused me to fall on my butt when I noticed it was none other than Remus Lupin. I didn't know why the world felt it necessary to keep putting us together but if it could stop that would be great.

"Oh! Hello" he smiled kindly before putting his hand out to help me up. I looked at it as if it would automatically kill me upon my touch before sighing loudly and taking it. If I say that his touch didn't make my heart beat a tad bit faster or my fingers and toes tingle I would be lying, but I have no qualms about lying so it didn't, not one bit.

"Well I have to go, I am already late" I said brushing past him and cursing as I shook my hand to get the feeling of his hand out of mine. When I actually did get to the field Potter came towards me with his broom in hand.

"Where have you been?" he asked accusingly stopping in front of me and glaring slightly. I shrugged lightly before replying.

"Um… well it's a funny story really…" I said trying to think of some excuse that would placate him. In realty I was just too busy with my day dreaming to leave the library early enough to make it on time. I really should get a watch or something.

"Well maybe I can hear about it sometime but if you haven't noticed Quidditch practice is going on… Like it has been for half an hour!" He yelled as he turned on his heal sharply and I followed, head hanging low.

Quidditch practice was brutal, I don't even know why he worked me so hard. I don't really do much except look out for the Snitch, and then get it. I am pretty good at it actually, I usually find it and get it before the other teams do which I am actually very proud of. Potter actually worked me so hard that when practice was finally over and I came back to the castle I could hardly stand, and I had prefect duty tonight….

Speaking of prefect duty I still didn't know who my partner was. I hope it was Lily that would be loads of fun, but my luck I would get someone from Ravenclaw, they always thought they were better than me because I was pretty average.

"Hey Lil" I said cringing as I sat on the bench. She looked at me funny but when I raised my hand in an attempt to tell her I'd rather not talk about it she didn't proceed with the questioning.

"How was your day?" Lily asked picking at her plate, I would have replied except the Marauders decided to make an entrance. Everyone in the hall immediately stopped talking to watch them walk in with their smug looks. Ok, probably not everyone in the hall but it certainly was a lot of people. To my dismay they sat right next to Lily and I.

"What are you doing here now!" I said exasperatedly, throwing my arms up in the air. They looked at me with amusement as I slammed my face on the table.

"We just wanted to sit with our friends what's so wrong with that?" Black said putting food onto his plate while wearing his signature smirk. I really wanted to slap that smirk right off his face.

"I really wish you wouldn't" I said putting my head into my hands, I really couldn't understand why they continued to torment me and Lily. I mean I understood that James adored Lily but me? What did I do to endure such horrible things?

"Sorry about this afternoon" Remus mumbled looking to his plate, he really was a strange boy. I knew he was talking about me running into him and I didn't know why he felt he had to say sorry because I literally almost bulldozed him over.

"Wait why are YOU apologizing? I literally almost ran you over… actually I could have probably hurt you, I was really running hard" I said looking off into the distance to think of the particular event. The whole group was watching our exchange with interest while Remus chuckled lightly.

"Oh no I should have watched out for you" he said picking at his food, I simply shrugged I wouldn't fight with him.

"If you guys are done flirting" Black said smirking at Remus, I watched the interaction with interest, what were they saying to each other….

"Lily do you know why my partner for rounds are?" I asked taking a bite of food ignoring the trio sitting with us.

"Yes, you are scheduled with Remus" she said looking between us two mischievously, I sighed of course he was my partner.

"Great" I mumbled.

After dinner which was terrible due to the Marauders harassing Lily and I all night, I met up with Remus in the halls outside the common room to start are rounds of the castle.

"Hey" I said coming up to him, he looked tired and I could see the scars on his face better in the torch lite hall.

"Hello, where do you want to start?" he asked starting to walk forward. I shrugged in response, not really caring where we started.

"I guess the common room halls?" I asked thinking that it would be easier to work our way back to the common room.

"So…" he started but didn't finish, I laughed at his awkwardness. The great Marauder bookworm had nothing to say to little old me.

"Look we don't have to be buddies ok? I am fine if we just get this done" I said laughing, I really didn't want to bother becoming friends, I only had two more years of school and I really didn't need any more friends who I would leave behind.

"I don't want to do this in silence…" Remus said looking down to the floor. I looked at him, he was for sure handsome as I had to keep reminding myself. He wasn't as dashing as James, or as roguishly charming like Sirius but he was so perfectly imperfect and I thought him kind of amazing.

"Alright Remus, I'll bite…. Favorite color?" I asked suddenly catching him off guard. He was thoughtful for a moment before replying.

"Blue… Yours?" he asked peeking at me from the corner of his eyes. I thought for a moment.

"When I was little my mother had this garden… she grew little pink flowers… that's my favorite color… pink" I remember the garden well, it was beautiful but she ended it when I was sorted into Gryffindor and they started to entertain their blood purity thoughts. They don't do such 'trivial' things anymore.

"That sounds lovely" he whispered, I could tell he didn't know how to tread so I let out a small chuckle though it sounded hollow to my ears.

"It was" I said mournfully smiling up at him.

"I guess things never last huh?" he asked seeming thoughtful, I nodded.

"Favorite… class?" I asked coming up to a closest to which I inspected for students trying to score some make out time after hours.

"Defense, you?" he asked stopping for me to finish, luckily there wasn't anybody in there.

"That's not surprising, mine is too" I said walking forward again. He seemed confused as he started walking forward.

"Why is it not surprising?" he asked walking faster to keep up with my pace. The honest truth was that I had a sinking suspicion that Remus Lupin, Marauder bookworm was actually a Werewolf. I know surprising, but I had met a few in my life, one of them being my Uncle Tommy and he had all the usual indicators. I wasn't about to go and tell him that I knew but it definitely made me want to know how he dealt with his transformations.

"I don't know, just is I guess" I said simply, he didn't seem too convinced but didn't argue either. The rest of the hour was spent answering simple questions, it was fun but I wasn't about to become his best friend or anything, I already had a best guy friend and he was bullied by him and his friends.

"Well it was fun, kinda" I said standing in front of the steps. He stood there awkwardly, it was like he wanted to do or say something but didn't have the guts for it.

"Yah it was good, we should do it again sometime…" he said grasping for words.

"We will… because we are partners" I said laughing as I made my way onto the stairs calling a 'good night' over my shoulder.


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Alrighty so this is what I got… I kind of started to like put some distance between Theo and her friends, it won't be too bad but I feel like Theo is sort of being pulled in two directions. Like yah she wants to be an Auror but also does she stick with Lily or does she go more towards Severus?

Disclaimer: yah I don't own anything though that would be cool wouldn't it?

I woke up with the noise of Lily searching through her trunk. I sat up immediately pulling out my wand ready for a fight.

"Lily what's going on?" I asked groggily looking at her in appall. She glanced at me briefly before going at her trunk once more. I quickly got out of bed and walked to where she was sprawled out on the floor.

"What are you even looking for?" I asked exasperatedly throwing my arms up in the air to emphasis my point.

"I am looking for my favorite book" she said only looking at me as if to emphasis her point. I sighed, every book was her favorite book.

"Wait…. Which one?" I asked siting down next to her trunk looking warily inside it. I really wasn't feeling this whole thing today, it was Friday and it was the Friday before Hogsmeade weekend.

"The one about Defense" she said as if I should know because I was her best friend. The problem with this idea was that Lily was all about anything school related so everything was her favorite, I swear she would say every class was her favorite class.

"Oh but of course" I said frowning slightly as if to admonish my own self. I sighed looking around the room in my sitting position.

"Well if it's all the same to you, I think I'll go to breakfast" I said getting up from the floor and dusting myself off. Just as I was entering the bathroom I heard Lily announce to nobody in particular that she had found the wanted object.

Once dressed, in the usual outfit and my hair in a messy bun I went down the Great Hall. As usual of late the Marauders were sitting next to Lily and I's usual spot. This was really started to get rather old.

"What in bloody hell are you gits still doing over on my side of the table" I asked taking my usual seat and filling my plate with all the usual foods.

"You know I have come to the conclusion that you can't go even an hour without calling us some kind of name" Sirius said smiling while James looked around for Lily. I thought about what he said and noticed that I did have a habit of calling them names, but they deserved it so I wasn't about to stop.

"Yes well, I thank you for being concerned with my vocabulary but I think its fine the way it is" I said stuffing my mouth with a piece of pancake. They all looked at me like I was a complete nutter but I continued to eat happily.

"You know I'm beginning to realize why nobody has asked you out yet…" Sirius said while Remus elbowed him in the ribs, looking at my apologetically.

"I don't need to be asked out Sirius.. What I need is to be able to eat in peace" I said looking at them coldly. I didn't know why they were always about me but I really wasn't in the mood for it today. I had actually seemed to waken up on the wrong side of the bed if that's even possible.

"Alright King if you insist" James said looking at Sirius pointedly when he opened his mouth to say something. I looked at James thankfully and went back to my meal, I really liked these pancakes. It was only moments before Lily walked into the hall and sat down next to me with a huff. I glanced warily to her and braced myself for what was to come.

"Hello Lily" Potter said enthusiastically, I rolled my eyes. Lily looked at him briefly before turning towards me.

"Why didn't you wait for me?" she asked looking at me patiently, I tried to think of any excuse but I honestly didn't have any.

"She couldn't wait to see her dear Remus over here" Sirius said smirking like a fool, I glared at him before started my protests to Lily.

"No I didn't want to see Remus… Wait I didn't mean it like that but you know I wasn't like running down here to see him" I rambled seeing the hurt look Remus was giving his plate as I started my protests. I couldn't understand why I always was putting my foot in my mouth when I was around him, I guess it didn't really matter though since I wasn't interested in him or anything. I actually hadn't really thought about boys like that, I did notice a cute Hufflepuff boy that would look at me during my Divination class but other than that it was pretty slow on the dating front. I don't even know what I would do on a date though, who would look at little old me when Lily was near?

"Oh well ok then" Lily said eyeing me with suspicion, I wondered if she thought I had a crush on Remus. I knew that if Lily thought I had a crush on Remus she would definitely try and put us together every chance she got, Remus was one of the Marauders that she actually liked.

"Look guys I have to go..." I said getting up from the table in a rush, and before anyone could protest I was out of the hall looking for Sev. It was so frustrating that the Marauders just left their mark on everyone and everything, I was so jealous that they seemed to live such perfect lives at Hogwarts while I just got by. And then there was Lily, she was my best friend and I loved her but I just was envious that she was so vibrant and everyone noticed. I had plenty of friends but nobody really even cared if I was around, except for Sev and Lily of course, I think that's why I want to become an Auror I want to make some sort of difference.

"Hey Theo…" Sev said as I approached where he stood in the corridor with some of his Slytherin friends. I frowned, they weren't exactly the best lot in Slytherin. They were a bunch of notorious blood-purists.

"Hey Sev what are you doing here" I left out the obvious question of why he was with such an unsavory group of boys. I really worried about Sev being in Slytherin all by himself, I sometimes wish I would have been put into Slytherin with him.

"Oh just talking… what about you? Why aren't you eating?" he asked concern spreading across his face for a moment before he remembered who his company was. I stared blankly at the group in front of me, I was losing him to them I could feel it. I shrugged in response to his question before walking away, I couldn't look at him while he was with them. He always seemed to be distant when around the other Slytherin's, like he was a different, colder person. I suddenly felt lonely in the halls as Sev went back to his group and Lily sat in the hall with the Marauders, was I pushing them away or was I being left behind?


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Alrighty I am a terrible updater and I suck but here is this chapter and hopefully it is good… I am trying to get through this awkward time in the story where they aren't necessarily friends and whatnot but I don't know how that's going. P.S. Sorry it's so short!

Disclaimer: Still don't own very much of anything at this point in my life.. I'll keep you posted though.

It felt like this Friday would never end! Not only did I feel isolated from everyone but in Potions my partner Jessie a quiet Revenclaw blew up our potion. It had turned my hair a ghastly green color and I had been furious. It didn't help though that the Marauders were right in the vicinity and had laughed their butts off. Professor Slughorn had promised that it would wear off soon but I didn't feel very comforted about it. I

"Are you alright?" Remus Lupin asked as we were walking out of Potions, his friends had made an immediate beeline out of the door while he slowly put his stuff away. I looked at him incredulously, my hair was green and he was asking me if I was alright?

"Do you see my hair?" I asked motioning to the offensive being.

"Well other than the hair… you just seem off today" he said thoughtfully looking at my with his amber eyes filling with worry, I suddenly felt very bad. I didn't mean to be such a pain but it was all just so frustrating, I just wished it was first year all over again. Maybe if I had known the things I knew now I could change some things, like Sev being admitted into the junior Death Eater club or Lily leaving me behind.

"Well thanks for caring but I am fine… really" I said flashing him a small smile as if to seal the deal. He didn't look too convinced but I think he didn't want to be rude and try to pry, but he did continue to walk with me.

"Do you want to maybe study with me after dinner? I mean I know you're really good at Divination and I could really use some help… and maybe I could help you with Arithmancy?" he had an eager look plastered and his face and I thought about his offer. He did seem to be awful at Divination and I definitely had a handle on it, I was god awful at Arithmancy so I suppose it wouldn't be too bad of a situation.

"Alright Lupin, but you have to promise me something…" I said in mock seriousness looking at him expectantly.

"Alright?" he said cautiously not sensing my joking.

"You have to promise me that you won't fall in love with me" I said with a stoic face, before laughing and walking away from him and towards the great hall to dinner. By the time I made it to the hall my hair had gone back to normal, thank goodness.

"Hey Theo" Lily said as I sat next to her and Marlene McKinnon, as well as a few other Sixth years that seemed to always like the attention that hanging out with Lily Evans gave them.

"Oh hello… everyone" I said eyeing the ladies with suspicion as they all giggled while watching the doors. I peered over my shoulder to see none other than the Marauders entering the hall and rolled my eyes. How could every girl be in love with them?

"Hello King" Sirius said plopping into the seat next to me while Remus looked unamused. The girls who had been sitting with us minus Marlene all looked on with awe.

"Hello Black… what brings you to me?" I said in fake awe, I did admit that Sirius was rather handsome but I was not some love-stricken teenage girl.

"Nothing in particular just being conversational" he said with a satisfied smirk stretched across his huge head. I rolled my eyes as the others eyed him in admiration, I really couldn't understand the appeal unless you liked that suave bad-boy thing….

"Well alright…" I said skeptically as the four boys began to pile their plates with food. Remus seemed to be very uncomfortable but I couldn't fathom why. The Marauders actually seemed to take the day off of torturing me and stayed mostly to themselves, to which I was eternally grateful.

"Alright you lot I have a study date to get to… Remus?" I said looking at him expectantly while the other three boys and Lily seemed to watch curiously. I couldn't understand why though because we were just studying.

"A date you say?" Sirius said smiling widely and looking at the pair of us, I immediately understood why he had that look.

"No!" Remus and I both exclaimed shaking our heads. I was mortified to the point or blushing and pulled Remus out of the hall with the Potter and Black chanting "Moony's got a date" over and over again.


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: whoop look at me updating in a timely manner! Sorry if like the whole Severus and Theo thing seems repetitive but like living in a time like they are living in I would imagine that it would be hard to be sure of anything... but I promise after this I shall move away from this and towards some much needed Marauder/Theo time!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything L

"I am really sorry about them" Remus said rubbing the back of his neck shyly, the blush still apparent on his face.

"That's alright… I guess it must be hard sometimes to be friends with them huh?" I said pulling out my Arithmancy. Remus looked at me for a second and I wondered if I had said something wrong.

"Sometimes but it must be just as hard to be friends with Snape… with him being so quiet..." I knew that wasn't what he meant, even if he tried to cover his tracks he meant that Sev was unfriendly, dull, and dark. I sighed remembering the thing that separated us from being true friends, it was times when Remus and his friends weren't being total prats that I thought maybe we could be friends. I was always reminded of Sev though, it was becoming apparent that I would have to choose a side.

"You don't know him…" I said quietly trying not to let my voice crack under the thoughts that weighed on my mind.

"I'm sorry" Remus said looking down at his books, I felt bad now that I had even said anything.

"No don't worry about it, so let's get to work yah?" I said and we worked on our homework, I found that I liked to work with Remus. We meshed well, and in a totally not romantic way….

"Well I think I'll live another day without failing out of Arithmancy!" I said laughing as I looked at the notes that were spread out in front of me.

"Hello Theo…Lupin" came Sev's voice from the side of the table, I immediately sat straight in my chair. Remus looked at the two of us with anger, was he mad that Sev was even here or that he interrupted us?

"Hello Sev… We were just studying" I said tyring to salvage the situation before it got out of control.

"I could have helped you" Sev replied grimly, it was true while Sev was best at Potions he still excelled at everything.

"I volunteered" Remus said while I quickly put my stuff back in my bag anticipating my leave.

"Whatever" Sev said moodily stomping away from us. I gave Remus an apologetic look before running after the grumpy Sev.

"Sev wait up" I called running through the halls which were thankfully empty.

"Why just go hang out with your new best friend" was his sudden reply as he stopped suddenly in front of me. I looked at his guiltily as he silently fumed, I know I didn't do anything wrong but I also knew that he was afraid of losing me, like he lost Lily. Even though I wasn't ever as important as Lily to Sev, I still mattered to him.

"I'm sorry Sev! I wasn't becoming his friend we were only studying…" I said pleadingly looking him straight in the eyes so that he would know I was serious.

"You know he likes you! Why would you encourage that unless you like him too!" Sev said angrily, I didn't know what he was talking about though. Remus had never shown any particular interest other than friendship so I was confused at why Sev would even think this let alone care.

"I don't even know what you are talking about! I don't like Remus Lupin…" I said it sounding weak even to my ears, I did fancy Remus. I didn't want to and would fight it till the end but I wanted to be friends with him and I wanted to go to Hogsmeade with him, I just knew I couldn't.

"I don't believe you… You'll pick them over me just like Lily" he said sorrowfully and I sighed. I wouldn't choose them over Sev not ever, not even if he did go to Tom Riddle and get his mark. I wouldn't like it and I would still fight but I would stand by him, at least I hope I would.

"I won't ever leave you Sev… You can always count on me" I said smiling wrapping him in a hug he returned begrudgingly.

"Promise" he whispered into my hair.

"I promise on my life" I said holding tight to his wiry frame. I don't know how long we stood like that but it didn't matter. Our hug was a promise between the two of us that we wouldn't ever turn our back on each other, that even if life took us a part we would always find our way back to each other. I hoped that this was a promise that we both could keep.


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: I am sorry I haven't updated….

Disclaimer: I most definitely don't own anything

Saturday's were the worst, Lily always sat with other girls in Gryffindor studying. I was invited of course but I didn't particularly like most of them, so I tried to occupy myself in other ways. Sev would be hanging out with the other Slytherins, I definitely didn't want to hang out with them. So where did that leave me? Walking around the castle looking for anything to do. I was just about to resign myself to go sit with Lily and the others when I came upon the Marauders.

"Oi King! Fancy meeting you here" Sirius said with a small smile playing at his lips, he had a gleam to his eyes that made me a little uneasy.

"I do actually go to school here, so it would make some sense that I would be in the castle on a Saturday" I said warily stopping in front of the group of boys. They looked excited for some reason, and the Marauders being excited meant that something bad was going to happen. It didn't comfort me that Remus wouldn't look at me, he would be guilty if they were planning something.

"How would you like to be a pal?" James said coming forward and placing his arm around my small frame, I shrugged him off.

"Well it depends, if this is some nasty prank you want to pull on me or someone else I would rather not" I said glaring at James as he shrugged his shoulders innocently.

"No pranks, I promise" Sirius said while Peter seemed to fidget uncontrollably. What was it about that kid? Why couldn't he just exist without being nervous?

"Well I don't believe you but… what did you have in mind?" I said thinking that I could probably spend the day worse off. The boys (minus Remus) all broke out in huge boyish grins, it almost made me smile.

"Well we need some help sneaking in some liquor" Sirius said conspiratorially, of course they would want me to help throw one of their famous parties. Every time the Marauders threw a party someone ended up so smashed that they always did something stupid enough to get everyone in trouble.

"Oh no! I don't want anything to do with your party…. I would rather not have detention for the rest of the year, thank you!" I said starting to walk away briskly but was stopped when Sirius grabbed my arm and yanked me back.

"Come on Theo, you won't get into trouble… If asked we will deny it alright?" he asked looking hopeful, I sighed in defeat and motioned for them to lead the way. I always did get roped into some crazy things when I was smaller, I guess old habits die hard.

"You know you didn't have to come" Remus said, I was surprised that he actually said anything to me, though he didn't look at me in the eyes.

"Yah but how could I say no… he looked so much like a kicked puppy" Remus laughed at my statement like he knew something more than me. I raised an eyebrow and decided that I quite liked Remus's laugh, though if asked I would deny it.

"Where are we going anyway?" I asked trying to stop myself from thinking about his beautiful smile. It would do nothing good to fall for the quiet Marauder. Forget the fact that they were responsible for many headaches, I was also nothing too great. I am sure that Remus had all kinds of pretty girls asking for a date, even if he hanged around Sirius a lot, he wasn't ugly by any means.

"Hogsmeade" he said simply, looking ahead of us. I looked to where he was looking and saw a passageway. I had never seen this passage, which was weird because I often times walked around the castle when bored.

"How?" I asked unable to find a coherent thought other than it was weird that there was a passageway that I didn't know about.

"There are a lot of passageways Theo" James said smugly, I wanted so bad to wipe that smile off of that pretty face.

"Sure, but there isn't like a map or anything so how come you know about them?" I said now becoming a little irritated that the Marauders beat me at everything. I looked to Remus who now seemed very interested in the floor, then to James who shrugged, and finally to Sirius who seemed to be suppressing a small smile.

"There is a map isn't there…." I said unamused, how come these bloody idiots were so smart?

"Well there wasn't one, until we made one" James said puffing his chest a little. I was really dumbstruck now, how come these boys were so dumb and smart at the same time.

"You gits are impossible" I said rolling my eyes as I eyes the walls warily, I could have sworn I saw a spider.

"Thank you" Sirius said walking happily in front of me.

"You won't say anything will you?" Remus asked, always being the thoughtful one.

"No… but I can't believe YOU guys made a map like that!" I said angrily, they all laughed but I was pretty agitated that they all were so perfect, well except for Peter.

"Sorry" Remus said quietly, a smile playing on his handsome face… darn them for being so amazing.

"You guys really are brilliant you know?" I said looking at them all will some respect, they were immature but they really would do something with their lives.

"Yah we try" Sirius said and I immediately regretted what I said, Sirius was such a git.

"Are we almost there?" I whined tired of the feeling of spiders surrounding me, Remus pointed to the door not too far away from where we were and I smiled.

"Ok so we all just need to buy a few bottles, can't make it look suspicious." Sirius said leaning into the huddle that we all had created upon reaching the Hogs Head.

"Alright sounds easy enough" I said starting for the bar, but James stopped me.

"We can't all go in together" he said like I was crazy for thinking that we all could simply walk into the bar without all dying some horrible death.

"Alright then who's first?" I asked exasperated. Sirius ended up going first, I believe he got a few bottles of something, James got some butter beer. Peter got one bottle of some sort of liquor, he really didn't have much of a contribution and I now realize why I had to come along.

"Alright you want to go now?" I asked Remus who seemed to be deep in thought for a moment before straightening up and going into the building. Finally it was my turn and I went in confidently.

"Hello I was wondering if you had my mother's order of alcohol?" I asked as sweetly as I could muster the bartender looked at me for a moment before asking who the order was for.

"For King" I said innocently, whenever I needed anything I just threw my name around to get what I wanted.

"I am sorry miss I haven't got any order" he said a tinge of fear ringing in his voice. My mother was always known for her attitude in the town, so being her daughter meant that I should be kept happy.

"Well I could have sworn she said that she called… my dear she will be so mad" I said carrying off as if the whole story was true, I should have been an actor.

"That is quite alright just let me know what it is that she needs" he said hurriedly as I listed off alcohol that I was sure the boys would want. In the end I had gotten away with much more than the other boys did, it probably was because everyone knew that Sirius was disowned and had not connection to his family, but I still had them to throw around.

"Wow! How did you manage that?" James said looking at my assortment of drinks.

"My family, of course" I said sweetly as they all gaped at me.

"Your parents won't kill you?" James asked looking at me curiously.

"No, they don't care what I do" I said sadly, handing them the drinks before walking through the passage. My parents weren't a good subject with me, they only loved me when it was convenient and I suppose that was what really bothered me.

"What did I say?" I hear James whisper to the others, I could just imagine Remus's soft eyes filled with worry, and Sirius's grey ones with curiosity.

"They aren't mean right?" Sirius asked coming to walk beside me, I didn't even notice he had come to stand next to me before he spoke.

"No, they are just…" I really didn't have any room to complain about my parents to Sirius, so I didn't. I didn't have to Sirius understood what I was going to say and smiled sadly at me.

"Well they are missing out on a heck of a girl" he said and it was the first time that I ever saw anything in Sirius Black that I didn't want to punch. Under all his bravado he was a good guy, who would have known?

"Thanks Sirius" I said smiling up to his warm face, he reciprocated before falling back with James who was going on about how "epic" the party would be.


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: Look it didn't take forever!

Disclaimer: I still don't own anything, though I can think of a few things I would change if I did...

The party was pretty good, I mean I hadn't been to many parties but I imagine that one thrown by the Marauders had to be decent. I was currently sitting on the couch in the Common Room with a small glass of fire whiskey (the first glass) watching the fire flicker. It wasn't that I was a prude or anything, far from it. It was just that I didn't really know what to do at a party, most of the people here were already drunk.

"Hey" Remus said sitting down next to me, a glass of liquor in his hands. I smiled over to him, he had already been drinking by any indication of his bloodshot eyes.

"Hey Remus… You alright?" I asked watching as he slowly rocked back and forth. He must be pretty drunk if he was rocking himself, I wonder how drunk you would have to be?

"Ju…Just fine… 'hiccup'…y'know I think your beautiful" he said looking at me as he made his speech, I was a little flattered but it was hampered by the fact that he was totally wasted.

"Your drunk Remus" I said putting my hand lightly on his shoulder to stop him from rocking.

"That doesn't change the fact… y'know I always thought it" he said leaning back into the couch, what was it about these boys that always got me in weird situations?

"Well…thanks" I said a light blush creeping onto my face. I actually had never been called beautiful, so I didn't really know how to respond.

"Do you like me?" he asked now looking at me like he was solving some great mystery. I didn't know what to say to that, he was handsome to be sure but I just didn't know…

"Why are you over here hogging Theo?" a drunk Sirius said sitting in between Remus and I. I don't think I have ever been this happy to see Sirius, but I was very thankful that he chose this moment to intervene.

"What do you want Sirius?" I asked smiling at his obvious drunkenness, I wonder how many drinks he had. Sirius definitely didn't seem like a light weight so it had to have been quite a lot of liquor.

"Well I was just coming to talk…" he whined dramatically falling back in the couch, I laughed. These boys really didn't know when to say no to the drink. I searched around the room for a moment for Lily but only caught a glimpse of her as she ascended the steps to the girl's dormitory, leaving a very sad looking James in her wake.

"I'll have to talk to you later Sirius" I said to his pouting face, he really could pull off the kicked puppy look. Remus looked like he was going to say something but was stopped by Sirius dragging him away towards 'some very fit girls'.

"Lily?" I said as I reached the dormitory, all I heard was some muffled noises coming from her closed bed. I sighed internally and approached.

"Go away Theo" she called weakly as I had pulled back the curtains of her bed, inside was a crossed leg Lily weeping into her pillow.

"Is this because James did something stupid?" I asked thinking back to all the other times Lily had cried in frustration about the boy. She shook her head and laughed a little, probably thinking about the times where I had consoled her similarly.

"No.. He didn't do anything actually…" she said now playing with a single thread that had come loose from the pillow. I looked at her expectantly and sighed out loud when I realized she wasn't going to say anything else.

"Well whatever he did or didn't do, just forget about it" I said sitting on the bed with her, she looked up for a moment and then back down to her pillow.

"He is just so frustrating" she mumbled but I had a feeling this was more about frustration pointed to herself. Lily had been trying to fight the feelings she had for James since third year, I suppose some things just have to end.

"Well if it's any consolation, James isn't as bad as he seems" I said begrudgingly, thinking back to all the times he had picked on poor Severus. I couldn't help but acknowledge though, that James was nice. He was smart, funny, and nice and I hated how everything wasn't so black and white. Where did things start to not matter?

"Yah" was her only response, she knew I was catching on to how she really felt towards James. I wouldn't be surprised if they were dating next year.

"What about Remus… he isn't bad either" she said looking at me now expectantly. I could feel the blush slowly creeping up onto my cheeks. I really didn't want to talk about my nonexistent love life with Lily.

"What about him?" I said trying to deter the conversation from my feelings towards the bookworm.

"Well I saw you two tonight. You looked pretty comfortable on that couch" she said a knowing smile on her face. I shrugged and started to play with a string that had been coming off of my skirt since the start of term.

"He was drunk" I said frowning at the slight sadness that had seeped into my voice. I couldn't help it though, Remus was the perfect package. While he wasn't as boisterous as Sirius, or as cheeky as James, he was sweet in the bring you flowers when your sick kind of way. I didn't need a Sirius or a James, I needed somebody who would just be there for me, to remind me of why I keep getting up after I fall.

"Well I think he likes you" she said forgetting all about James tonight. She didn't let me live that couch moment down for the rest of the night. It didn't matter though because I had fun sitting with Lily and talking about boys, especially one boy.


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: Alrighty here it is! So I don't really know about this chapter just because I don't know if it is too soon to be making them have their first date? Idk I'm not good at slow burn stuff so whatever…

Disclaimer: I know, shocker I still don't own it…

"My head is killing me" James said from the couch of the Common Room. I sighed as I sat on the other end of the green boy.

"Well maybe you shouldn't have had so much fire whiskey" I said like the goody-two-shoes I was. James looked at me for a moment before laying his head back down in defeat, if he had been in a better position I am sure that I would have paid for that comment.

"How come you're totally fine?" Peter said from the floor, I rolled my eyes. Peter really wasn't one of the brightest boys of the group.

"Maybe because I didn't drink as much as a grown giant last night" I said pushing the pillow that Peter was laying on from under his head. He shot daggers at me but didn't say anything.

"Y'know I believe our little Theo is a prude" Sirius said coming down from the boy's dormitory. I gawked at him, I wasn't a prude. I was just good, you didn't have to party to not be a prude, didn't you?

"I am not!" I yelled to which Peter and James groaned in pain, Sirius didn't seem to be in such of a predicament as his friends though, I had assumed though that Remus had a hangover since I hadn't seen him all morning.

"I don't know about that" Sirius continued, pushing James off of the couch with one sweep and sitting down next to me.

"Maybe you only think that I am because you only hang around floozies Sirius" I said grumpily, it was true though. Sirius was notorious for only hanging around girls who were easy. Sirius had the decency to look slightly offended before shrugging in a conformation that this could indeed be the reason.

"Yah maybe… but it doesn't change the fact that you, are perfectly alright the morning after a party" he said pointing at me like I had just committed murder.

"You are perfectly fine too" I said slightly offended, he seemed to think about what I said for a moment before shrugging off my words with a wave of the hand.

"Yah but I hydrate" he said it like he knew the secret to all the world's problems, to which maybe he thought he did.

"Don't listen to him, it's better not to drink" Remus's voice came from the stairs. Remus, always the voice of reason, I swear he was sixteen going on forty. I looked over my shoulder at him, he looked alright but his eyes were a little bloodshot and his skin was paler than usual.

"You feel alright Remus?" I asked ignoring the look that Sirius was sending my way. It seemed that everyone thought that I had a huge crush on Remus, which I totally didn't….

"I will be alright, I am just glad that it isn't Monday… I think that classes would be pretty difficult with the hangover that I have" he said smiling warmly at me, to which I had the stupidity of blushing at. I couldn't help it, his smile was so warm and it just made you feel like he only had the smile for you.

"Oh my! Prongs I do believe that our little friend Theo here has a crush on Moony" he yelled this across the Common Room and James shot up from his position on the floor. I didn't chance a look at Remus and immediately shot up from where I had been previously sitting.

"Um… I have to go… anywhere but here" I practically yelled and rushed out of the Common Room leaving two laughing boys.

I couldn't believe I did that… Now Remus probably thought I had a crush on him, but isn't that the reason I ran out of the Common Room? Because I had a crush on him? Ugh being a teenager was very hard when the opposite sex was involved. I mean how can you make yourself not like someone? Because I would like to know how, I couldn't like him. That would totally be against the friend code wouldn't it? Or would it just even everything out? I mean Lily wanted Remus and I together… and Sev had all those nasty Slytherin friends. So why couldn't I have a boyfriend. Wait what? It's not like it would amount to that, or would it? What happened when you had a boyfriend? Was it like the Muggle movies, where you held hands and kissed and it was all cute? Or was it like my mother and father where my father basically controlled everything my mother did?

"Hey Theo" Oh no! I knew that voice. I turned slowly to see Remus coming towards me from the castle. I had been pacing back and forth across the Black Lake for what seemed like hours.

"Hey" I said weakly, I really didn't know how to act around someone when I just had the epiphany that I actually liked them.

"You missed lunch" he said casually once he came upon me. We stood awkwardly for a moment, I didn't know what to do. Did I tell him that I liked him, or did I just act naturally?

"Yah, I wasn't hungry" I lied, actually as I said it my stomach grumbled. I looked awkwardly around the Black Lake in hopes that he didn't hear it.

"Alright… Are you ok? I mean after what Sirius said you kind of bolted" he said as he placed his hand over the back of his head in an uncomfortable gesture. I bet Lily made him come out here to find me. I sighed, I was stupid to think that he even considered me like that. It was alright really, I didn't need to be in a relationship, I needed to focus on becoming an Auror. I sat down on the ground and waited to hear the retreating of Remus Lupin. He didn't though, he sat down next to me.

"Why are you here?" I asked looking across the lake, it was beautiful in the afternoons. The sun shone on the lake very much like a picture.

"I wanted to make sure you were alright" was his simple response. I looked over to him, how could someone be so perfect. To be nice, and smart? He made the rest of us look bad, and it made him so much more desirable.

"Well you shouldn't have… I mean we aren't friends, you bully Sev all the time" I said reminding myself of why I 'didn't' want this to happen. Too bad those words stung coming out, I didn't understand what was with these boys that they just dropped into your life and made you like them all.

"I know… I am sorry" he said about to get up and leave, ugh why did he have to be so frustrating.

"I know and that's why I can't stay mad… but you and the rest of your gang still did it, and Sev isn't a bad guy really! I just wish you lot hadn't pushed him so far, then maybe… well then maybe I wouldn't be so mad about liking you guys" I said a determined look set on my face. I really was mad at myself. If I had been there or if I had been in a different house, or even if I had been a better person then Lily and Sev would still be friends and Sev wouldn't be where he was now. It wasn't all the Marauders fault, it was my fault. I wasn't there and that was something I would have to live with for a very long time.

"It isn't your fault you know… Snape just isn't like the rest of us… he isn't strong enough" was his heartfelt reply, I wish that I could just take his opinion and agree but… how could you believe that your friend was some weak little thing? Wasn't that like betrayal or something?

"I like you" I said finally thinking back to the years before when I had first met Sev and Lily. I had been the one to say that we would be friends, I couldn't just become this meek little thing, and I needed to stay optimistic and brave. Telling your crush that you liked them, seemed pretty brave to me. Remus stayed quiet for a while, and I didn't dare look at him. Sure I was trying to be brave but that was too much bravery for me.

"I… I like you too" he said and when I looked at him he was looking out over the lake. I smiled, but I also didn't know where this left us. What happened after two people told each other they like the other?

"What happens now?" I asked hopefully, he finally looked at me. His smile was so bright that I swear it could have lite up the whole world.

"What do you want to happen?" he asked simply, I thought for a moment before pulling his hand into mine. I held it firmly and looked at our intertwined fingers.

"Let's go on a date?" I asked hopefully, to which he nodded slowly to. I just hoped I didn't mess this whole date thing up.


	12. Chapter 12

A/N: OMG! It has been literally forever, I am sorry.

Disclaimer: I still don't own it.

"Alright so I kind of have a…date" I mumbled to Lily as we sat on our beds that night. It was going to be next week during Hogsmeade and I really wanted it to be good. If I ruined my first date, how would I ever show my face to Remus again?

"Wait… With who? Is it Remus!" Lily practically screamed as I tried in vain to shush her. I really didn't want a whole horde of girls to know that I was going on a date with Remus Lupin. In Hogwarts going out with a Marauder (minus Peter) was like going out with Merlin himself. Luckily the only other girl who was awake was Marlene McKinnon and she was very enthralled in an article she was reading.

"Yes, but I don't know what to do and it's for this weekend and… and…" I said waving my arms around dramatically as if to explain that I was totally pathetic in romance. This was my first date and it was with Remus Lupin, the Hogwarts own handsome bookworm. To say that I was freaking out as I sat cross-legged on my bed was an understatement.

"Don't worry Theo, I'm pretty sure that if he liked you enough to ask you out he already knows that you're very animated" she said looking at me like I had grown two heads as my hands stopped halfway in the air. I slowly lowered them back into my lap before looking at her with the most serious face I could manage.

"I am not animated Lily, I simply have a lot of energy that comes out when I am worried. And right now I am extremely worried about how I will make Remus like me on our date" I said reframing from moving my arms in any way. I had to make sure that I started to tone it down so that he wouldn't think I was some weirdo. But maybe I was over thinking it all, maybe Lily was right and I didn't need to do anything special? No I definitely needed to put some major effort into this whole date thing.

"Don't worry Theo, it isn't even until the weekend" Lily said finally getting under her covers to go to bed. I sighed as I pulled the covers around myself, it seemed though that sleep did not come for quite some time.

Lily was so wrong to tell me not to worry because it wasn't until a while. The week before Remus' and I's date seemed to whiz by. Before I knew it I was lying in my bed the Friday before our date, staring up at my ceiling as all the other girls were passed out in their beds. I couldn't take it anymore so I tiptoed out of the dorm and into the common room. To my surprise I found James lying on the couch looking into the fire.

"Hey" I half whispered, he jerked to meet my form. I think he thought to see someone else because he instantly relaxed back onto the couch.

"Oh hello Theo" he said gloomily, I guess I wasn't the only one to be in a bad mood this late at night. James sat stunned almost, I could tell that he hadn't slept at all.

"What's wrong James?" I asked taking a seat on the couch next to the boy. James looked as if he was deciding whether or not to tell me before finally opening his mouth.

"I don't know… Does it ever seem hopeless?" he asked looking at me as if I would know exactly what he meant.

"Does what seem hopeless?" I asked almost laughing at the vagueness of his question.

"Well… Lily, she still hates me huh?" he asked now truly looking downtrodden. I stopped laughing, as much as it was ridiculous how much James liked Lily it was real to him.

"Don't give up hope James, Lily will come around. If anything you two will come out as two better people." I said smiling sympathetically at him, he seemed to ponder my words.

"Yah, I suppose" he said grumpily, obviously putting no importance in my words. Not that I blamed him really, I mean Lily almost never seemed to show him any kind of affection. I sometimes worried it would be like this forever, I don't think leaving Hogwarts would make James any less enthusiastic about her.

"Look why don't you ask her to go to Hogsmeade tomorrow? Just be very respectful and grown up about it?" I said thinking that it might actually be a good way to turn over a new leaf. James looked at me for a moment before smiling brightly and rushing up the stairs calling that he needed to think up a plan.

After James left I went back to bed and actually managed to fall into a fitful slumber. When I actually woke up to find it the morning of my date I contemplated faking ill. That was until Lily stood next to my bed with clothes in her hands.

"Look what I found!" she squealed as I looked at her in fear. Lily had successfully found the only nice clothes that I actually had. It was a nice baby blue sweater, and a black swishy skirt. I groaned into my pillow before Lily pulled me out of my bed.

"Wow you look lovely" Mary said dreamily as I walked out of the bathroom after Lily had done my hair in a fashionable up do.

"Thanks Mary, but I feel ridiculous" I said smoothing out my clothes. I did feel absolutely ridiculous, I never wore skirts other than the uniform and everybody wore those so it was different.

"No you look wonderful, Remus won't know what to do with himself" Lily said thoughtfully, I smiled in thanks but I didn't believe her. There were plenty or more beautiful girls in Hogwarts, I didn't really understand why Remus was even giving me the time of day.

"Come on I guess, let's get this whole thing over with" I said thinking about how awkward I shall be when I see Remus. Lily and I walked down the stairs to meet the boys at the doors.

"Hello Lily… Theo" James said coming towards us immediately, while Remus seemed to be shyly making his way towards us.

"Hello Remus" I said slightly, fidgeting with my hands in the hopes my nerves would subside.

"Say Lily, I was wondering if you would like to accompany me to Hogsmeade…. I know it is a little late to be asking but…" he said looking at the ground and rambling very anxiously.

"I am sorry James, I already told Martin I would meet him there" Lily said as she smiled apologetically as she walked to Hogsmeade.

"Well that wasn't a total no" James said optimistically before pulling Sirius and Peter towards Hogsmeade as well.

"He certainly is hopeful" Remus said before we too made our way to the small town.


	13. Chapter 13

A/N: Well I am kind of bad at this 'dating' thing, since I just don't know how it should flow and whatever. I tried at least!

Disclaimer: yah I don't own anything, if I did I would be pretty darn rich and someone with a great imagination.

The whole way down to Hogsmeade I fidgeted, glancing up at Remus every so often to find him calmly walking. I really didn't understand how he wasn't a nervous wreck, I guess guys just were calmer, or it was because he was obviously a very confident person. I also was nervous about Sev seeing us, he had made it very clear he didn't support my growing friendship with the Marauders. Dating one of them seemed to be a thing he would have a fit over, I understood I did… it's just that I couldn't keep away!

"Where to first?" Remus asked smiling calmly down at me, curse being shorter than him. I had to plan this strategically, Sev would most likely be with the other Slytherins. Where would Slytherins hang out?

"Um… I don't know where do you want to go?" Shoot! I am pretty sure that Mary had said something about guys liking girls who knew what they wanted, or maybe I had made that up?

"Alright how about Tomes and Scrolls? Unless you'd rather go to the Three Broomsticks?" Remus asked not the least bit phased by my blunder. I'm pretty sure I had seen a group of Slytherins go to the Three Broomsticks.

"No let's go see some books!" I said puling his arm in the direction of the book store. I had been in need of a new book to read, I really liked owning the book opposed to getting it from the library.

"What kind of books do you usually like to read?" Remus asked once inside the store. I thought about the question for a moment. I really like autobiographies about Werewolves and Vampires and other magical beings, I could never understand what it would be like to be one of them so I liked to be able to maybe get a better understanding. But should I tell that to Remus? I mean he was a Werewolf (at least I thought so), but would he think it was weird or be flattered?

"Biographies mostly, though I do enjoy a few books on mystic creature… I do sometimes indulge on some fiction, though my parents have always frowned on frivolous reading" I said solemnly. I had never thought much about my parents but recently I had been thinking about how I wished desperately to have parents like Lily's or Remus', parents who cared deeply for me.

"Well if you want you could read some of my favorite Fiction novels, though they are Muggle written" he said waiting for my reaction. People always thought I was a blood-purist, hiding in my views. But I had a Muggle-born as a best friend, so it was highly unlikely I would wake up one day and hate Muggles (though I did hate Petunia).

"Alright, but I'll warn you… I am a really harsh critic" I said laughing as his face seemed to brighten up when a small smile replaced the somber expression that was once there.

"I think they can hold their own" he said placing a book that he had been looking at back where it belonged.

"So what are the Marauders up to?" I asked noticing that I hadn't really seen anyone else since we had gotten to Hogsmeade.

"I think Sirius has a date with a Hufflepuff, and James and Peter are stalking Lily" he said looking mischievously outside the window. I actually was rooting for the poor boy, James had been in love with Lily since forever. I think that it was time for Lily to at least give the boy a chance, even if he was a little too enthusiastic about it.

"Well I hope they don't get hexed, Lily isn't afraid of dishing out some nasty hexes… I should know" I mumbled as I looked over the stores biography section.

"Oh really?" Remus asked waiting for me to expand on what I had said.

"Well in first year, I had gotten so convinced that there was a ghost in the girl's dormitory. So I had decided that I would catch the ghost, so I stayed up all night. In the middle of the night when I was just about to pass out from exhaustion I swear I had seen a shadow over Lily's bed. So I had gotten out my wand and crept up to her bed holding out my wand, and she saw me and thought I was about to hex her. So she sent bat-bogey hex at me… I had to be taken to the hospital wing" I said shyly. I really hadn't wanted Remus to think of me with bats coming out of my nose let alone bats that were made out of bogeys. I guess some things are unavoidable though.

"Well I always knew Lily had a temper" he said laughingly, I smiled fondly at him as we exited the store. The smile was soon wiped off my face though when I saw Sev walking with some of his friends, I looked around frantically for a place where I could hide it out. That's why I was currently standing in Madam Puddifoots. I had never actually been in the place but now I knew why. It was covered in all things for lovers. I really wished I hadn't been such a coward.

"Did you mean to come in here?" Remus asked distastefully as the woman in the front ushered us to a table.

"No… how do we leave?" I whispered to him, he shrugged as I looked around for a way to leave without causing a commotion. This place was crowded but with couples, all showing a lot of affection towards each other. I now understood why Lily had mentioned to never come here.

"I think maybe we can go…" Remus said before a woman in a pink outfit who looked very eccentric came towards us.

"Hello young lovers! Oh what it is like to be young and to be in love! Now let's get you some tea shall we? …." And that was the beginning of a very long story about the woman's first love. Which to be completely honest sounded a lot more like infatuation. By the time we actually got out of the place it was getting dark and we had to start to head back to the castle.

"I'm sorry Remus… I hadn't meant to get us into that mess honest. It's just that…" I said trying to find a way to tell Remus what had really happened.

"It's alright you had wanted to keep it a secret from Snape, right? I get it, I mean I hope that if we keep dating you'll tell him, but I get it for now" he said and I couldn't help but feel worse about the situation. Here he was being so good and just the best person and here I was being a total jerk. I shouldn't have tried to hide him, I shouldn't have gotten us stuck in that horrible place for all of our date.

"I am sorry, I promise to tell Sev about us tomorrow!" I said happily, making up my mind to do the right thing. Before I knew it Remus' lips were on mine. I froze for a moment before leaning into the kiss.

"Oh looky here, if it isn't half-blood and the blood traitor" Luscious Malfoy called a snasty smirk across his perfect white skin. I frowned when I saw that Sev was with them. He had seen it all and he looked hurt, I should have told him but I didn't and now he knew I had hid it from him.

"Why don't you leave them be Malfoy!" the rest of the Marauders called from behind us. I frowned deeper now, this wasn't how this was supposed to go. I was supposed to tell Sev in the library while we were doing some homework and I would be able to reason with him. Not out here with his gang of friends and…my gang of friends? Before I knew it Sev was walking back to the castle quickly, the chip in his shoulder already visible.


	14. Chapter 14

A/N: Here is a short chapter, I don't know I just felt that this chapter was needed.

Disclaimer: I really don't own anything.

I hadn't seen Severus for the rest of the weekend. I knew that this wasn't something I could fix with a sweet smile and a promise to do better. I was friends with the Marauders, I had gone on a date with Remus. I wasn't going to change any of that, how could I when I knew what great people they were (though they sometimes made bad decisions). I guess I never really thought that my close circle of friends would ever include anybody else besides Lily and Sev. It had always been us since the beginning of Hogwarts. I had always thought that when the older children would tell us three that it wouldn't last that they had been sorely mistaken, but wasn't that what was happening? Was this just the beginning of the end of our friendship? Could I sever it as easily as Lily had, or would I be dragged through more situations like this trying to ensure we stayed friends? I suppose I owed it to our friendship to make it work somehow, it wasn't like he was a Death Eater or anything…yet.

"Have you seen Severus anywhere?" I asked a Slytherin Girl by the name of Anna. Anna was sort of the go-between, she wasn't nearly as pompous as the other Slytherins.

"No, sorry?" was her simple reply as she ran to catch up with her friends. How could somebody hide this good from me? It wasn't like I stayed in the Gryffindor tower all the time, I got out. I was about to give up the search when I spotted a mop of black hair among the crowd in the hallways. I rushed to meet up with the person.

"Sev! I have been looking everywhere for you. Where have you been?" I asked falling into step beside him. He seemed to be trying to find a way to leave my side without being a total jerk.

"I have simply been busy, I am sorry" though his tone a demeanor said the total opposite. He was mad, I understood that. I just didn't know how to make it better.

"Look I wanted to apologize for the other day" I started hoping that this would be the better way of addressing the issue. He showed no emotion to my words which was not very comforting.

"It's alright Theo, you don't owe me any explanation. I am surprised you aren't with your beloved Marauders right now actually" he said. There it was, the brunt of the problem. I had to tread lightly, the wrong move and our friendship would be over.

"Well I wanted to see you" I said simply, I just wouldn't bring up the Marauders, or Lily. I would be very neutral in this conversation in order to end it without being hexed.

"That's a new revelation" he said clearly agitated, this was already giving me a headache.

"Look Sev, I AM sorry! I am sorry that I didn't tell you about the date" I started putting my hand in front of him so that he wasn't able to move forward anymore.

"So it was a date" he said solemnly looking down to the floor. I sighed and nodded slightly.

"Yes it was, and I am sorry that I didn't tell you. I should have I know, you're my best friend and I should have told you" I said now taking a place standing in front of him. Sev studied my face for a moment, I tried to smile slightly.

"I suppose I should just be happy about not having to take care of you for the rest of your life" he said though he was trying to make light of our current situation I could tell he didn't feel any better about the situation. I laughed but it came out hollow.

"You don't forgive me do you?" I asked trying to blink away the tears that threatened to fall. He stood there for a moment before side-stepping around me. I turned to watch him walk away when he stopped a little ways in front of me.

"Not now" he said about to turn away.

"Will you ever?" I asked sadly.

"Maybe" was his numb response. I frowned as he walked off further into the hallways. I hoped that this friendship wasn't over.

"Theo! Come on, let's get to the Great Hall for lunch" Sirius called his arm slung over James' shoulders. As Severus' form passed a corner I turned to meet the Marauders at the other end.


	15. Chapter 15

A/N: I have had the biggest writers block! I don't know if I actually even like this chapter but I feel like this is just kind of like a filler chapter, kind of something to bridge the gap between two parts of the story… So I guess I am sorry that it isn't something too good, but I will hopefully have something in the near future with SOME substance.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

"You know what I think we should do?" Sirius asked as we all hung out in the Common Room on Thursday night.

"No" I stated shifting next to Remus in order to get a better look at the book he was reading. It was the Defense book, I swear he had read it a million times.

"I haven't even said anything yet!" Sirius cried in protest, Remus and I had been reading, now comfortable in the relationship we hadn't given a label to. James and Peter had been playing Wizarding chess while Sirius had been unsuccessfully trying to do homework that we had all finished already.

"Yes, but every time you have an idea it isn't good and you always end up in a detention" I said frowning at him slightly.

"Moony can you please talk to your girlfriend" Sirius huffed pushing his parchment away from him slightly while Remus and I both blushed slightly. While we had been going out for almost a month I wasn't used to the 'girlfriend' term yet. Though I suppose I should have been used to it by now, I had been hanging out with the Marauders a lot more recently. Not only because Remus and I were 'dating' but also because Severus had sort of refused to talk to me of recent.

"I am absolutely starving!" Peter finally chimed in while James won their match. Peter frowned as he watched James call 'checkmate', I couldn't help but smile at how bad Peter was at chess.

"Well then come on let's get some food" Sirius said standing up immediately, forgetting about the assignment he had to turn in tomorrow. James and Peter both seemed to be relieved at not having to start another game of chess and started to get up from their seats.

"You coming?" James asked before heading out, Remus and I both indicated that we weren't keen on moving from our current position and the three left.

"I have been meaning to ask you something" Remus said not looking up from the page he had been reading. I wonder if he was still reading or just wanted it to seem like he was still engrossed in the words.

"Hmmm?" I hummed looking at the inviting fire in the fireplace.

"Has Snape spoke to you since our first date?" he asked finally looking up from his book to look at my face. I frowned slightly at the seriousness of his words.

"No" I said trying to skirt around the issue, it still hurt that Sev hadn't spoken to me. I understood that he was mad but we had never gone so long without talking.

"I'm sorry Theo, I shouldn't have even put you into this situation… surely I am no reason to ruin a friendship, even if it is Snape" he mumbled the last phrase, clearly not wanting me to hear it.

"Remus John Lupin! You are worth everything I have lost. Do I miss Sev? Yes, but I wouldn't trade one person for the other. People mean too much to think like that" I said scolding him, he seemed to not agree with my words but didn't protest them either.

"Can you believe that it is almost our seventh year? I think that I could stay in school forever" I said changing the subject away from my possibly ruined friendship. Luckily Remus didn't utter another word on the matter.

"What is it you want to do after school?" he asked a smile lighting up his face. I knew the answer to this question, an Auror. I had wanted to be an Auror since, well since forever.

"An Auror of course! I want to help people, to make a difference, especially now… what do you want to do Remus?" I asked thinking of all the careers that he would excel at. There was quite a few things that Remus could do, he could teach or even become an Auror.

"Oh, I don't know…" was his lame response. His response made me think of an earlier inclination that I had about his disappearances around the full moon, or all his scars. If Remus was a Werewolf then it would make is increasingly hard to even get a simpleton job, let alone a career. It almost made me want to cry, Remus was so talented and smart. He didn't deserve to be so shut off from other people, but I wouldn't cry. Remus didn't need my pity, and I didn't even have proof that I was right (though I'm almost positive). I didn't need a conformation though, when Remus was ready he would tell me.

"Well, I'm sure you'll figure it out… Though I think you would make a lovely teacher… Professor Lupin" I said teasingly. Remus smiled and blushed into his book.

"Yes, you know… if you were my student I would probably give you a lot of detentions" he said in mock seriousness. I laughed out loud at the thought of Remus giving anyone a detention, especially when he is usually the one getting into trouble.

"Oh, I bet your detentions would be very bad indeed" I said leaning in to capture his lips with mine.

"Theo, are you coming to bed?" Lily asked coming down the stairs from the dormitory, I sighed quietly. Leave it to Lily to be the mother of the group.

"Yah, good night Remus" I whispered stealing one last kiss.

"Night" I heard him call as I went up the stairs, a laughing Lily trailing behind me.


	16. Chapter 16

A/N: Well here goes this chapter. I just don't know what I feel about it, I had written something and then when I came back immediately deleted it. I just couldn't think of how I wanted our girl to spend her summer, I finally came up with this (I hesitate to call it anything good). I hope it's not too terrible but I have no real clue, I am sorry that it took so long but I kind of got some writers block and then college just gets me down.

Disclaimer: I still don't anything because if I did barely even one book would get done (and it probably would make little to no sense).

Summer came before I even blinked, before I even realized what was happening I was standing on the platform waiting for someone to pick me up.

"You know you can always come home with me" Remus was saying eyeing the crowd anxiously, it was cute how he was worried but I think I can handle a crowd of people.

"Don't worry Remus, someone will come for me. You just go and enjoy your summer, I'll write everyday" I said giving him a peck on the lips before pushing him in the direction of his parents. He looked over his shoulder with a worried expression (which caused him to be very cute), but went to his parents none the less. When he was laughing with his parents I turned to look through the crowd. I wondered where my parents were, they were never late for anything. I wondered if they had arranged for someone else to come get me without telling me. It wouldn't be the first time they had done something along those lines. One time they had one of their Pureblood friends that I had never even met come and get me, I think they had wanted me to get to know his son. His son however, was a very spoiled child and had pulled my pigtails all the way back to my house.

"Hello Theo" came a voice from behind me, there stood a woman I had never seen before. She was of medium height, with brown hair and eyes. She was dressed in a tight pencil skirt with a matching blazer. She had to have been from my father's work, at the Ministry.

"Hello, I don't think we have met" I said suddenly turning into the girl I was known at home to be. At home I took on the persona that most Purebloods had, to be frank I was kind of a pretentious person at home.

"Yes, I am the secretary at your father's office. Your parents regret that they could not come to meet you but I assured them that we would be perfectly happy with just us" she said happily, I wondered if my father was sleeping with her. It wouldn't be the first time he cheated on my mother nor the last. I didn't take much notice however, to my father's indiscretions they weren't any of my business and to be honest I didn't care all too much.

"Yes, well can we just return home?" I said dreading the summer I was about to have. On the journey home the secretary who I later learned was named Jennie tried to talk to me. Though I kept my responses to a minimum, I knew that if I befriended my father's new mistress (which I was pretty positive that she was) my mother would be furious.

"Well, I suppose we are there? I do hope we get to spend some more time together Theo" she said smiling like an idiot, I wondered if she believed the things my father probably said to her. He probably said things like "I am going to leave my wife", which everyone said that to their mistress's but they never actually meant it.

"Yah, that might be nice" I lied, she was alright… I think I might feel sorry for her, my father was a toxic person. He would ruin his mistress's before he left them. She smiled before shutting the door to the car we had taken. My family lived in an area that was mostly a Wizarding community however, it was common practice to use cars to and from. I watched the car disappear down the way.

"Hello?" I called as I walked into the house. I didn't hear anyone, I had thought that my parents would have been home but I was usually wrong about them.

"Hello Missus" my house elf Aggy called coming into the entrance of the home.

"Are my parents' home?" I asked the elf, she was always in the family. I am pretty sure that she had been in the family for generations though my parents rarely mentioned things of little importance such as a house elf.

"No missus, they have a very important meeting missus" Aggy said before coming to get my bag from me. I took no notice of Aggy from that moment on, it wasn't that I hated Aggy or thought her below me. I just knew what was expected of me when I was at home and didn't like the disappointed looks that came when I failed to meet my parent's standards. I suddenly was regretting my decision about not spending time with Remus and the Marauders over the summer. I didn't accept though because my parents would have been furious if I would have spent time with people like Sirius Black who had denounced his family (who my parents got along very well with) and like James Potter whose family was against the blood purist ways my family seemed to cherish.

I decided it was best to simply go to my room and read a book or maybe even write a letter to Remus, who I was already missing. If I had to be honest I missed all the Marauders, I even missed school. My home held no warmth or happy memories, all I saw was every fight or every mean word my parents would say or even sometimes not say but I knew they thought. I just couldn't be the daughter that they wanted, I think somewhere deep down they knew that too. I just wished that someday we could come to an understanding, that they could just love me for what I was.

"Missus' your parents wish to speak with you in your father's office" Aggy said some time later, I looked up from the letter I had been writing to Remus. I only had ever been to my father's office a few times, the first being when I had been sorted into Gryffindor, the second when I had befriended a Muggle-born, and now. All those times were terrible, each time held a new lecture on how the family should be acting and how I was not acting as I should.

I got up from my bed anyway and smoothed out my clothes, whatever my parents wished to speak to me about I knew would not be good. I wondered as I walked down the stairs if it had anything to do with the meeting Aggy had said they had went to.

"Close the door Theodora" my father's cold voice called as I entered the study.


	17. Chapter 17

A/N: Alright here this is. Also I was made aware that I made a spelling mistake in a previous chapter (sorry!) so I spelt Lucius Malfoy wrong. And in order to fix it in the actual chapter I would have to do multiple things, so here is my fix (sorry I'm lazy). I'll probably fix it later when I have extra time to fiddle with it.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

"Father… Mother" I said upon closing the door. My father was a man that oozed importance and position. He had dark hair that was always neat and trimmed, a clean shaved face, and cold black eyes. He was exactly what you thought he would look like from his personality. My mother was exactly the same though she had blonde hair that was almost as lifeless as she was, her face was angular and sharp, and her eyes were a dull green that never held any happiness.

"Theodora, how was your trip home" my mother asked trying to see my father's reaction to her knowledge of who exactly brought my home. Like any man who was cheating on his wife constantly he made no inclination to understanding what she meant. He was always good at hiding what he thought, it was why whenever he was angry I could never tell when he would snap or yell.

"It was pleasant, thank you" I said very formally, with my parents it was always smart to act like they were complete strangers, after all they practically were.

"I wanted to discuss something with you" my father's voice came, holding power and authority. I looked sharply from my mother to my father awaiting my fate. He showed no emotions as he stared straight into my eyes, my father and I had never truly seen eye to eye on anything though I would dare to say he and I had a better relationship than my mother and I.

"Yes father?" I asked sensing he was awaiting some kind of conformation that I had been intently listening to his every word.

"Greyson Mathison has agreed to marry you upon your graduation." He said simply, though behind those words came a flood of information. Greyson Mathison was a boy I grew up with, he had graduated Hogwarts as Head Boy and Slytherin prince this year. He was already rumored to be aligned with the growing purist movement. That meant they expected me to in some way join the movement also, either as Greyson's doting wife or as a full member of their elite little group.

"And you have accepted?" I asked slowly looking up from my hands which were tightly embraced with each other. My father narrowed his eyes at me, he wanted to know what I was thinking but I wouldn't let anything be known.

"I haven't just yet" my father said cryptically, he didn't want me to marry Greyson then. He wanted me to join their group, he wanted me to align myself with a man who called himself Lord Voldemort. To get the dark mark that everyone in my parents circle had already gotten. I had seen it one day when I was a little younger than I am now, the snake that peeked out of my father's sleeve. Why would anyone want me though? I wasn't very smart, I was a little above average but not by very much, I didn't have as much guts as a Gryffindor should…what could I possibly give this Voldemort?

"You want me to join?" I said though it wasn't a question it kind of came out as one. I suppose I just wanted some kind of conformation, some kind of sign that I wasn't going crazy, that this was my life.

"Yes" he said still seeking my eyes for some kind of emotion, I am sure he was looking for some kind of refusal. After all Sirius Black came from the same kind of family as mine and once he got into Gryffindor it gave him enough courage and freedom to break free, why wouldn't I do the same? My parents though only had one child, one chance to live through another person, once chance to offer something to their precious Lord.

"This should be an honor Theodora" my mother screeched from behind where I was sitting. My father looked towards her in disinterest and a little bit of hatred. I glanced slightly to look at her, she was getting older, her wrinkles clearly showing from the gloomy light that was in the study. I felt numb, like a bucket of ice water had been poured on me and I was left outside in the cold. Everything was wrong with what was happening but I couldn't fix it. I wasn't Sirius Black, I couldn't break away from the parents who had raised me and built me up and tore me down. They owned me like they owned Aggy or how Muggle families own a dog. I wasn't a spirited as Lily, she would have openly scoffed in their faces. I used to think that I would too, that I could openly tell them I thought they were full of it. However, when faced in front of them all I could do was stare at them, I had disobeyed them openly when they weren't around but when they were so close I froze.

"When do I have to decide?" I asked looking back to my father defeated. My father took me in for a moment, and I felt suddenly inferior.

"By next year" my mother said thoughtfully, I glanced at her briefly. I wondered what she was thinking but knew that it probably wasn't anything of too much importance. When I glanced back at my father he didn't look too thrilled at my mother's speaking.

"This will happen" he said with finality. Those words seemed to be engrained in my brain as I lay in my bed that night. How did someone know what would and wouldn't happen? My father was so sure that I would hold no argument over their plan? I didn't know what I would do, but I know that whatever I decide will forever change my life I just hoped I would make the right choice.


	18. Chapter 18

A/N: Well here this little rambling is.

Disclaimer: Well I still don't own a single thing…

It wasn't long before my parents set me up with a meeting with Greyson. He was handsome I would give him that. He had short blonde hair, green eyes, and a body only Quidditch players knew. Though I liked Remus's profile much better I decided.

"The Theo King… it's nice to finally meet you" he said putting his butter beer down onto the table. It was his choice to come to the Three Broomsticks.

"And here is the great Greyson Mathison" I said a little angrily. I had never agreed to meet with him, my parents had threatened me to make me come to this 'meeting' as they liked to call it.

"Alright Theo, let's be friends yah?" he laughed, while most would probably swoon at his deep smooth voice I felt more irked. Everything just reminded me that this wasn't the person I wanted to be sitting with in the quant pub. All the years I never had any male attention and suddenly I had much more than I wanted.

"Alright Mathison, why would you want to marry me?" I asked trying to get straight to the heart of the issue. Maybe if I could get Greyson to not want to marry me for his own reasons than maybe my parents would have no choice but to accept that it wasn't a good idea.

"I don't…Not really but I have to marry someone and why not a girl like you?" he said I first was happy with what he was saying but then he finished his sentence and I immediately frowned. This guy was nuts, he was completely out of his mind.

"What does that even mean? Like really a 'girl like me' was does that mean?" I asked demanding that he answered. Luckily Greyson didn't seem to mind that I was being kind of rude to him, I suppose that was a good thing because most purebloods weren't so lenient on woman being loud spoken.

"A well-spoken, reasonably well-mannered, pretty, pureblood" he said all the while smiling like he wasn't just telling me that he only was interested in me because of my looks and my blood status. I scoffed at his clear misunderstanding of how life worked. Or maybe it was only my life and the lives of my friends. Was I the one who was misunderstanding life? Was I being closed minded in all of this? I had never actually been in the company of this Dark Lord, I hadn't met any true Death Eaters other than my father. What was this world that I was being thrust into?

"I don't know what my parents said, but I don't want to marry you" I said it confidently, I had to be brave from now on I decided. My parents had never asked so much from me before, but I knew that it wouldn't end here. They wouldn't simply ask me to marry Greyson, they would ask me to work for Voldemort too. I had to make a stand, even if it meant that my life would never be the same.

"I know, but you will won't you? Trust me, I don't want to marry you either. But it's the only way, can't you see that? You don't want to put that ugly mark on your pretty little arm and I don't want my parents to know…" he caught himself then, he loved someone already. I laughed roughly, some pair we made.

"You love Maddison Lovely?" I asked incredulously, she was the Head Girl to his Head Boy. She also was a Ravenclaw Mudblood.

"I never said that" he huffed, looking around wildly.

"Why marry me when you already love someone else? She knows right? Of course she knows I once saw you two very cozy in the library one night" I rambled remembering the night clearly. I had been looking in the library late at night for a restricted book when I saw them. I was horrified of course but also knew that if the librarian caught them then I would be able to get my book without being caught. It's safe to say they got detention.

"Yes she knows. I can't marry her though, my parents would never hear of it. I already have accepted this life Theo, its time you did as well. How long do you really think that your relationship with the half-blood will last? He can't possibly be a part of our world" he said looking at me seriously, he had no guts. He was afraid, afraid that if he ran away with this girl then they would find her and they would kill her. They had done things like that before, so it wouldn't be very hard.

"I won't accept it. I will not base my life around what He wants. Why can I not live? Truly live, with love and laughter and hope? Why can you not live as well?" I asked desperately seeking in ally in Greyson. He looked at me for a moment before sighing and getting up from his seat.

"I will say that this meeting went very well to your parents. Though I do believe it is in everyone's best interest that you get over your delusions Theo. Life is hardly fair for people like us, especially in times like these" and that was all he had to say about the whole affair. I watched as he confidently walked out of the building into the busy streets of Hogsmeade. I sat there thinking about it all, I couldn't marry him…. I couldn't leave Remus… could I?


	19. Chapter 19

A/N: Woah what do we have here, another chapter? I feel like I have really fell off of the face of the Earth with this fanfic and I am sorry and hopefully I will get back to some sort of normal updating.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything because I really do love Remus Lupin and feel he really needed to have a better ending!

My seventh year, I couldn't believe it. Everything was leading up to this year, all the bad grades and the late night study sessions. But it wasn't all happy times upon coming to Kings Cross, Sev still hadn't spoken to me since the last time we fought. I honestly thought that he would have forgiven me already though I guess I had really messed up. I could understand why he was mad, and I was ready to beg for forgiveness but he wasn't even giving me a chance, and for that I felt that we would forever have this rift between us.

"Hello King" Sirius said grabbing my shoulders and steering me a little ways from the crowd. I wondered what had his panties in a twist but new that he would tell me soon anyway.

"Hello Sirius" I said briefly looking around the station for the rest of the Marauders and Remus.

"I have heard the most interesting rumor over the summer" my stomach dropped at his words. Had he found out about the dates that my parents had forced me to go out on? He would have known that I was being forced, and I had gone on a few with Greyson over the summer.

"Is this about Greyson Mathison?" I asked decided that feeding around the bush on this topic would not be the best course of action.

"Yes" was his simple reply. He stared at me awaiting my reply or refusal of everything, I stared back. I knew I had made some bad decisions over the last year but this was one of the few things that I had nothing to do with.

"My parents made me go out on those dates. They think that Greyson will make a good husband, they don't know that I am dating Remus. I tried to tell them 'no' but they wouldn't take it for an answer and honestly I don't know why I need to justify it to you. You of all people should know that it isn't always so simple in Pure-blood families" I said now getting annoyed at how he was trying to find a reason to be mad at me or get me in trouble with Remus. He should know that parents in families like ours were aggressive with their children, and wouldn't take no for an answer when it was something they wanted. This new movement on blood purity didn't help the whole matter either.

"I just wanted to make sure, I know you would never do anything to hurt Remus but…" he trailed off.

"But you don't fully trust me" I said before he could find whatever words he was trying to find. He looked at me for a moment, studying my face for something.

"Things are getting complicated" he said and I didn't need him to explain anything. The Dark Lord as he called himself was getting more and more powerful, he was starting to make offensive moves to implement his plans on the Wizarding world. Nobody was necessarily your friends during this time, and I was new to the Marauders. They were a tight knit group and I was the outsider.

"Don't worry Sirius, I wouldn't hurt any of you" I said, I thought he would counter my statement but he simply nodded slightly and smiled at me. He walked away after that and I watched him leave, hoping that he wouldn't distrust me after this.

As I was walking towards the train thinking about the strangeness of this year already I spotted a dark brooding figure, it had to be Sev. I instantly knew what I had to do, I had to fix this or else it would be too late and I would lose him forever.

"Sev" I said standing squarely in front of him making it so he would have to look at me straight on.

"Theo" was his answer as he looked around to see if anyone could see him with me. I wondered silently how it all got here in a year. Was it not just last year that we were best friends that he would have gladly hung out with me instead of those other snakes?

"You're mad. You still don't forgive me? I know you don't like him and I know I should have told you but why are you still mad?" I said my voice only cracking slightly as I spoke to him. He eyed me silently, I am sure he was calculating just the right way to tell me off.

"I'm not mad, I just know that it is fruitless for a Slytherin and Gryffindor to be friends, they are just too different. They say you know, that you have decided to side with them" I was surprised at the calmness to his tone, it was startling and unsettling. He was speaking of the conflict with blood status, I had taken an unsteady stand with the opposing side to the Dark Lord. I was an enemy to them and to most of the Slytherins, but was I to him?

"I am your enemy then?" I asked looking for any sign that this was some big joke, that he would smile and say 'gotcha' in a moment. But that moment never came, he never smiled, and he never denied my claim.

"It is the way it has to be Theo" he said before brushing past me and towards the group of Slytherin's who were in front of the train. I felt like I had just been drenched in ice cold water, was this really what this was going to be like. Was I going to lose everyone and everything on this journey to what I thought was the right choice. I didn't have too long to dwell on the subject though because I felt a pair of arms wrap around my shoulders. I smiled despite the feeling of despair starting to sink its way into the pit of my stomach.

"Hey stranger" I smiled up to Remus, he sported a goofy grin and it instantly made me forget the whole conversation with Sev.

"How was your summer?" he asked casually as we made our way towards the large red train. I thought about telling him about the summer and my outings with Greyson but he was always so willing to tell me that I was better off without him and I didn't want to have that conversation again with him.

"It was fine, nothing too much of interest." I lied. It came easily enough, I suppose it was because I wanted to forget the whole summer and the stupid dates that I went on with Greyson.

"That's good, you'll never guess who got Head Boy" was his next words as we boarded the train. Sitting with the Marauders on the train watching the scenery change I felt as if I would maybe make it through this year in one piece. Seventh year was probably going to be one of the hardest years of my life, but I was ready to face it.


	20. Chapter 20

Disclaimer: I still own very little of this story.

I couldn't believe it, this was my final first ride to Hogwarts. I was very excited at the prospect of being able to move away from my family and maybe even move into some place with Remus but I also knew that things were beginning to get serious outside of the comforting walls of Hogwarts. What would happen when Dumbledore was not there to protect us anymore? I knew with every fiber of my being that James and Sirius would be all too willing to join up in the fight against the Dark Lord, Remus would no doubt join to make sure they didn't get into trouble like their days in Hogwarts. That scared me more than anything else, what would I do if he got hurt? Remus was one of the most skilled Wizards I knew but even I knew that a bunch of newly graduated student from Hogwarts wouldn't stand a chance against the older 'Death Eaters' as they called themselves. I wanted to tell myself to not think of such things to just focus on my final year of Hogwarts, to relish in these moments because they wouldn't ever come back. But how could I? It felt like the darkness out there was seeping into the thick walls of Hogwarts, even as I sat at the Gryffindor table watching the sickly sweet actions of James towards Lily I couldn't shake the thick air in the Great Hall.

"Theo?" Lily asked after smacking James after he had said something to Sirius. I looked at her suddenly most likely looking like a fish with my mouth slightly open.

"Yah?" I asked looking towards her in a quick snap of my head. I must have been zoning out for a long time because I looked around to find that all the first years had been sorted and the group at the table was looking at me worriedly. I smiled lightly and blushed as I noticed all the attention.

"Are you alright? You seem like you just kind of spaced" Lily said smiling ever so slightly her head tilting slightly to the side. She looked carefree in this moment, so alive and ready to tackle to world she was soon to be thrust into. What would happen when we all found out that it wasn't as great a world as we thought it was? I was afraid that her innocence and kindness wouldn't make it out alive, maybe I was afraid that all of us wouldn't make it out the same as we were in this exact moment.

"Completely alright! I was just thinking about how much homework we will have this year. I hear that this is by far harder than all the other years" I lied it was best to not speak my fears out loud, they would all just deny it anyway. Lily looked skeptical at my words but didn't voice her opinion. The boys however, seemed to eat up everything I said and started to talk around me.

"Are you sure you are feeling alright?" Remus asked from beside me as Sirius began to tell the group some elaborate tale. I looked at him gently, he looked a little different than he did when I parted with him before the summer. His hair was a bit longer, not too long but longer still. His skin had a light tan to it and I could only guess his family might have taken a small vacation somewhere where he spent his time outdoors.

"Yes, though I am very tired so that might be what you are seeing" I said knowing that like Lily he was much too perceptive to know that I was not afraid of the work load in front of all of us.

"It has been an eventful day with Sirius already getting us detention" Remus smiled thinking back to the ride to Hogwarts where Sirius thought it a good idea to hex a Slytherin in front of a Professor.

"I cannot believe you all for starting a fight on the first day of term, it is as if you lot cannot stay out of trouble" I laughed gently placing my head upon Remus' shoulder before looking back to the conversation at the table. Remus grabbed my hand underneath the table and squeezed slightly, I smiled up at him while Sirius waived his arms around dramatically thoroughly enjoying telling the group an outlandish story. Maybe I could forget the darkness outside of Hogwarts, if only for a moment.


	21. Chapter 21

Dislaimer: I still own nothing.

"You know that you can see into someone's soul through their eyes" Derrick from Gryffindor whispered to Jenny from Ravenclaw during Transfiguraiton. I watched humorously as he tried in vain to get her to smile at him while McGonagall's backed was turned to the chalk board. Jenny had long ago said that she would never date Derrick but he just wouldn't let it go. At first I really did think he liked her but now I think it was some sort of male pride thing that made Derrick flirt shamelessly with Jenny.

"Like I have told you a thousand times, I. Don't. Care" Jenny said carefully all the while never taking her eyes off of what the Professor was writing and then copying what she was writing into her own neat notebook.

"Y'know I think you should just give up Derrick, or you might just run into Jenny's bad side" I whispered looking at my own messy notebook. It was no wonder how I was just on the cusp of average in this school, I couldn't even read my own notes!

"No, she'll come around. Look at James and Lily, if James can make Lily give him a chance I seem to have a fair chance myself" he said smirking at the now frowning Jenny. I had to give it to the kid he had a point, it didn't matter though because Professor McGonagall had turned back around and was staring at the white faced Derrick who was leaning suspiciously close to the two tables Jenny and I occupied. Jenny seemed to get some sort of smug satisfaction from the whole situations if her face was anything to go by.

"Mister Morrison! Would you like to add to the discussion on how an animagus is actually accomplished?" McGonagall asked sternly while Derrick slowly sat back in his seat, he was stammering trying desperately to remember what the answer could be. Everyone in the room was looking around at their desk mate to see who would help their peer but McGonagall was known for her hard questions for situations just like this and nobody really knew the answer.

"I don't know Professor…" Derrick whispered looking flustered at the unwanted attention from his Professor, I almost felt sorry for him but Jenny was a good friend of mine and I knew that his advances were very unwanted.

"Well then Mister Morrison I should hope that you would pay attention for the rest of the class in order to learn, that goes for the others in the class as well" McGonagall said as she looked out to the sea of students who were mostly daydreaming instead of paying attention to class, it was the first day back in classes after all.

"That was so funny" Jenny said as we walked out of the Transfiguration classroom. Derrick had walked out before us in a hurry to get away from the Professors fury.

"I felt a little bad for him if I am honest, he looked like a frightened cat" I laughed as we walked towards the dungeons and towards the Potions classroom. Jenny wasn't taking Potions but she liked to walk me to class anyway.

"Snape is going to be in this class no doubt" Jenny said somberly, she knew a little about the status of our friendship and didn't approve of my trying to mend it.

"Yes, I wonder if we will be partners this year?" I wondered absentmindedly. We had always been partners since his and Lily's fallout and I wondered, rather hoped that he would allow me to be his partner this year as well. If he did it meant that we had a chance but if he didn't it meant that… no I wouldn't think about that.

"Maybe it wouldn't be a bad thing for him not to be your partner" Jenny said gently looking at me from the corner of her eyes. She didn't want to anger me I could tell but I was too weary about the subject to get mad at her.

"I… I'll see you later Jenny" I said as I rushed into the Potions classroom. The room was pretty empty only a few people one of whom was Sev.

"Hello… Mind if I sit with you?" I asked nervously playing with the hem of my skirt. Sev looked up his black orbs staring straight into my grey ones. My heartbeat sped up with the anticipation that he would reject me.

"Alright" came his reply though as he looked back down to his potions textbook that really could have been a journal. I smiled and held back the squeal that threatened to come forth.

"Have a good summer then?" I asked conversationally as the class started to fill up. I vaguely noticed Lily come in and shoot daggers at my partner and Remus coming in his smile only faltering slightly as he noticed I had already chose my seat, I ignored it though because Sev had finally allowed some semblance of normalcy between us.

"I suppose it was alright" came his silky reply, it was vague and not anything like how we used to talk to each other but I suppose all great things were not built in a day and this would be no different.

"That's good! Mine was abysmal, don't tell anyone though… you see I am trying to keep if from everyone else because they just won't understand... All their summers were wonderful, but you understand don't you Sev?" I asked everything in me was pleading for him to say something that would encourage me even to blink when he stared at me. If he did anything that was at all vulnerable it would all be alright but he didn't, he sat there perfectly still while writing something in his Potions book.

"I won't give up on you… No matter what you say or do you'll always be my friend and I won't give up on my friends" I whispered as the Professor came strolling into the room a smile upon his aging face.

As the class went on I couldn't help to think that I should be grateful that Sev didn't bite my head off like I had seen in the past. If there was something that Sev didn't take lightly it was Potions and he wouldn't hesitate to call you a 'bumbling idiot' if you couldn't make the potions.

"I suppose we will be partners for the year?" Sev asked packing up his things and slinging his book bag over his shoulder. I smiled widely at him while nodding my head like an idiot as he walked out of the Potions classroom brushing past a confused Remus as he did so.

"What was that all about?" Remus asked looking at the retreating form of Severus Snape as he walked down the corridor.

"I have my old Potions buddy back!" I squealed grabbing onto Remus' hand and dragging him out of the room an exasperated Lily following behind us.


	22. Chapter 22

Disclaimer: I am sorry for my long absence. I moved and had to change Universities and it was just one big headache, but I am getting into a routine and hopefully will update in a timely fashion.

"Hello guys" I said cheerfully as I sat down next to Remus in the Great Hall. As I sat I got the feeling that I had interrupted something and if Remus's guilty expression meant anything I just had.

"Hello Theo" came Sirius mumbled reply as he sat back in a normal sitting position, they all had previously been hunched over to form a small huddled circle.

"What were you speaking of?" I asked looking at Remus knowing that he would be the one I would be able to break down and get the truth from. Remus however, seemed to be determined to not look anywhere near me and kept looking at James and Sirius. They were having some kind of discussion without talking I knew it, it irked me that they were hiding something from me.

"Hello guys, what's wrong?" Lily asked coming to sit next to James.

"I don't know they won't tell me" I pouted slumping into my seat at the table and pushing around the food I had previously placed upon my plate. Lily looked around the group and something passed through her eyes, she knew what they had been talking about.

"I am sure it is nothing" Lily said waving her hand in front of her as if to wave the whole thing away. I was angry by now, what was so dang secretive that they could tell Lily but not tell me?

"Alright…. I have to go study" I said firmly pushing the uneaten plate away from me and getting up from the table.

"You haven't eaten a single bite" Remus said in worry, he finally was looking at me but I didn't care. It seemed that they didn't trust me with whatever they were talking about and I didn't want to sit there knowing they were lying right to my face.

"I am not hungry" came my icy reply as I walked away from the group, I wondered if Sirius had said anything to them about my summer or was he simply turning them all against me with his doubts. No, Sirius wouldn't do that… I don't think.

"Mind if I sit here?" Betty Harold from Slyhtherin asked. I glanced up at her chubby form before nodding my head in agreement, I never had really talked with the girl but then again we had never really ran in the same circles.

"Why are you here at lunch?" I asked as she sat down with no homework or books. Betty looked at me for a moment her honey eyes never leaving my grey ones. I stared back, if there was one thing that being Sev's friend taught me it was that Slytherins were always sizing you up and one weakness found would be exploited.

"I came to get away from the rest of my house" she replied lowering her head to look at the floor, I never really saw a Slytherin lower their guard like that besides Sev. I felt sorry for her, she didn't find what everyone else found in their houses, camaraderie.

"We don't have any classes together. Not a fan of Potions and DADA?" I asked conversationally, she had sat down with me for a reason and the only thing I could think of was that she wanted a friend.

"No, I am much more interested in Care of Magical Creatures… that's what I want to do, take care of magical creatures…" she said almost like she was waiting for me to scold her in her choice of future careers.

"That's great that you know what you want to do, I don't even know! I am sure the McGonagall is going to have a fit. She keeps asking me what I want to do and I keep giving her the same answer" I said thinking back to her displeased expression as I told her I really had no plans for the future. I didn't want to let her down but I really had no idea what I was even good at, I mean sure I was in advanced Potions and DADA but I wasn't near as good as Sev and Lily at Potions or Remus at DADA. I didn't even have the passion that James and Sirius had for becoming Aurors, I didn't fit into any place after school I guess.

"That's alright, I mean you are a well off Pureblood" she said waiving off the concern in my words, her dismissal didn't make me mad though. That was how most people saw it, that I didn't really have to do anything after school my parents and their parents before them made sure of that.

"I suppose but it would be nice to at least have an idea of what I liked to do" I sighed putting my scroll back into my bag, I wouldn't be doing much more homework tonight.

"Yah, you don't want to be an Auror like your friends?" she asked absentmindedly playing with her hair, I watched as she twirled her black hair around her hand.

"No, I don't think I would be any good at it you know?" it was the truth, I wasn't particularly a good Witch, and I wasn't as brave as the rest of my house so I didn't even think they would have me.

"I am sure you would be good at anything you tried, if there is anything I have learned from my seven years here is that there isn't much that anyone can't do" she said smiling softly, I wondered why she didn't have many friends. Sure she wasn't the prettiest or the thinnest girl in Hogwarts but she seemed like a very nice girl and I wouldn't mind being her friend.

"Thanks, hey would you like to study with me tomorrow? I have to do this assignment for Potions but you could bring some homework as well and we could do it together?" I said as I started to get up from my seat, I hoped she would say yes.

"Alright. I mean if it won't be a bother" she said smiling as I started to leave the library. I suppose it was true what they said, there were nice Slytherins out there.

"Are you still mad?" Remus asked as he came to walk beside me. I glanced at him, I was still a little mad but I couldn't very well stay mad at him for something I didn't even know about.

"No, but I don't like that everyone knows something besides me and is blatantly keeping it from me" I said looking at his lanky form from the corner of my eyes.

"I'm sorry it's really nothing" he said his smile faltering slightly, he was guilty of something but I would just have to get to the bottom of that sometime later.

"I made a new friend today" I said cheerfully finally turning to face him as we reached the Fat Lady.

"Who?" he asked as he said the password to get into the Common Room, we went in as I told him of my encounter with the nice Slytherin.


	23. Chapter 23

Disclaimer: I still own literally nothing.

"I'm off to my study date" I announced getting up from the couch in front of the fireplace. It was currently raining that Saturday and the Marauders and Lily had voted to stay indoors and were currently planning some prank or another while Lily constantly told them that they 'couldn't do that'.

"What?" Sirius asked his attention snapping to my standing form. I looked around at the rest of the group who seemed to look at me in curiosity.

"I didn't tell you guys?" I asked suddenly it dawned on me the irony of the situation. Remus didn't seem to be phased by any of it and continued to read the book that he was reading.

"No" James said now thoroughly interested in who I might be studying with, I bet they thought it would Sev but I wasn't that lucky.

"Betty from Slytherin" I said simply grabbing my bag from the floor and slinging over my shoulder.

"A Slytherin?" Sirius said in clear disgust, I looked at him pointedly. James seemed to want to say something but thought better of it and stayed silent. Lily looked concern as if all Slytherins would turn out to shun me too.

"Look, now you guys can talk about whatever I can't know" I said walking out of the room.

"It's not like that" Remus's voice could be heard coming from the room as I shut the portrait but I couldn't bring myself to care, I wasn't really mad about it anymore just sort of disappointed that I wasn't among those that Remus and the rest of the group trusted.

"Hello" I said coming to the table where Betty sat, she glanced up from the book she was reading.

"Hello, I'm glad you came" came her reply as she placed the book gently on the table. I noticed she didn't have a book bag though and hoped that it wouldn't be me quietly doing homework while she sat there bored.

"Why wouldn't I?" I said absently as I placed my book bag on the table next to the chair I flopped down in. She looked at me with unblinking eyes, this time I did look away from her stare to look through my bag to get the homework I had planned to do.

"I don't know…" she mumbled, if I had to think about it I don't really remember Betty every really hanging out with anyone. Could it be that she didn't have any friends?

"Well I am… Is your weekend going well?" I asked spreading my homework in front of me. I really hated homework especially when Remus wasn't here to distract me but I had to get this done if I wanted even a decent grade in Potions.

"I suppose it is going as to be expected" she replied I looked at her curiously. Was she going to spend the whole time answering me cryptically? Because I seriously wasn't in the mood to try and decipher what she really wanted to say. That's why I hung around the Marauders, they were never very evasive, well until recently.

"Alright, well I have been having a good weekend. Which means that Lily let me sleep in for a good hour and a half. I don't know about you but a weekend isn't a weekend if you don't get to sleep in" I said as I started to read the instructions I had hastily wrote down for the assignment. It was supposed to be some long essay about how to make a stupid love potion, which is totally stupid and I don't know why we are wasting our time with such a potion.

"I rather like waking up at sunrise, it makes it so that you can really take advantage of all your free time" she said finally taking a stand about something. Well there was something I suppose, even if it was just about something so simple as how you should spend your weekend.

"I see you aren't doing any homework. Don't have any?" I inquired as I looked up to her doodling on a piece of paper.

"No, I try to do my homework the day that it is given out." She said smiling simply as she drew a wobbly heart on her parchment. Wasn't she a strange creature, I didn't know anyone could be more diligent than Lily but here she was sitting in green in front of me.

"Well alright" I said and went back to my homework.

"I hear that you are no longer friends with Severus Snape" Betty said out of nowhere, I looked up to her immediately. I suppose that was what people were saying, we often were a subject of gossip when we were friends. It was a novel thing a Gryffindor and Slyhtherin being such good friends. Everyone was waiting for the ball to drop, for one of us to finally listen to the rest of our houses. That we would wake up and realize that we were just too different, that we wanted completely different things in life. That he was evil and I was a pompous brat, that we would realize that we were just the stereotypical Slytherin and Gryffindor.

"Is that why you wanted to hang out then? To find out the gossip surrounding what happened?" I asked calmly, I would react if she confirmed it. Innocent until proven guilty, right?

"No, I was just curious. I always thought you two were pretty good friends, so I was just wondering why you would let anything between you two" she said furrowing her brows, a look of panic crossing her features. I wondered if this happened a lot to her, somebody giving her a chance and then her saying something to ruin it. Leaving her alone with no one to be friends with.

"Alright I believe you. I suppose it's true what some of the rumors say, that we just want different things out of life. That's not to say that I am not friends with him anymore, because I am. It's just that, well he doesn't talk to me anymore and I suppose that I have to accept that" I said sadly thinking of the cold shoulder Sev was giving me all this time.

"I'm sorry… He'll come around I'm sure" she said adamantly her eyes glistening with hope. I was surprised she cared that much about something that didn't even involve her. She really was the good Slytherin.

"I don't know about that" I mumbled looking back to my homework. I had been hearing rumors, that Voldemort had been giving some Seventh years their mark. I wondered if Sev had gotten the hideous tattoo, if his pale forearm now held the skull and snake. I desperately hoped he hadn't, I guess I still thought that maybe we all could not get involved in this war.

"There are rumors you know" she started speaking of what I had been thinking about all along.

"Is Severus among them? I have heard the rumors, you are in Slytherin you must know more about this than the others?" I asked desperately, if someone could just give me a concrete answer than maybe I could figure out what I needed to do to fix all of this mess.

"I don't know. They don't really talk to me about anything, I am not a Pureblood after all. I know what you're thinking, Severus is wanted for his skills but I doubt HE needs someone who is good with animals" she said happily, I couldn't blame her. Knowing that you were out of the radar for someone like Voldemort was a good thing. He stopped at nothing to get the people he wanted, and he would figure out what he needed to do to convince you that you needed Him.

"I understand. Just be careful alright, Slytherin isn't the same anymore and anyone could be singled out" I said thinking about all the people I used to talk with who now would have nothing to do with me. Even the most pure could be corrupted, the strongest could fold. There wasn't anyone who the Dark Lord couldn't touch.


	24. Chapter 24

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

"You know I'm pretty sure that no Death Eater in training is going to be in here" I said motioning to the dusty classroom Remus had dragged me into. I had been in on the secret for about a month and so far it was mostly just after hour walks through the castle to watch out for rogue Slytherins.

"I can't bring my girlfriend to an abandoned classroom in the middle of the night?" he asked a small chuckle escaping as he did so. I looked at him suspiciously, he was such a weirdo.

"No, what's next are you going to kill me?" I asked smiling mischievously at him, James and I had been watching some old Muggle movies recently and they always showed a damsel in distress being lured into a dark room before being murdered.

"You have been watching too many movies with James" Remus said seriously, maybe he was right but I wasn't about to stop.

"Alright what are we doing here?" I asked stopping in the middle of the room my hand slipping out of its position in his.

"I wanted to practice some spells with you. It seems like a perfectly good set up don't you think?" he said motioning to the clear space in the room. I had to admit that it was a good place to practice spells without hurting someone or blowing something up. However, the fact that my boyfriend was dragging me into a dark empty room without wanting to try any funny business was a little disheartening.

"And here I was thinking you were going to have your way with me" I said teasingly, Remus gave me the 'be serious look' before pulling his wand out. I followed his lead with a small huff.

"Alright Professor what shall we be learning today" I asked in mock. He smiled at me lightly, he had always wanted to be a Professor and I hoped one day he would be able to realize his dream.

"I think we should just focus on the defensive spells. Try Expelliarmus" he said smiling as if he had just thought of a perfect spell. Honestly I was a little offended that it was such a simple spell that he thought was a good one to practice.

"Expelliarmus" I said his wand flying out of his hands, I rolled my eyes as he picked it up a smile on his face.

"That was great!" he said getting back into position.

"Look I know you want to help but maybe we can try something that we didn't learn seven years ago?" I said placing a hand on my hip in what I would like to imagine looked very confident and sassy.

"Hmm let me think for a moment" he said running his hand through his messy brown hair.

"Locomotor Mortis. There happy now can we do something fun?" I asked his legs unmoving, I laughed at his obvious annoyance at my choice of spell.

"I wish you would take this seriously" Remus said moodily his face scrunching up in displeasure while I laughed. I undid the spell with the wave of my hand and he sighed in happiness while stretching his legs.

"It's just so hard when you're so darn cute" I laughed coming closer to where he stood finally looking up to me.

"Well if you say so" he mumbled a light blush crossing his face, it was cute how he got flustered whenever someone said anything nice about him. It was one of the things I loved about him, he was so humble and so nice. Sometimes I thought that there was no way in hell I deserved such a guy, but then I thought that I just got lucky and should leave it at that.

"I do say so" I said wrapping my arms around his neck before leaning in to capture his mouth. He tasted of chocolate, he always had a stash around so it wasn't hard to know why he would. However, before anything could get heated there was a loud noise that came from the hall.

"What was that?" Remus was the first to break away looking around as I untangled my limbs from around his neck. Clutching onto my wand as I neared the door.

"I don't know, let's go find out" I said before Remus grabbed my hand and pulled me back slightly.

"I'll go first" he said before putting out his wand in front of him and entering the hall. We glanced around looking for the source of the noise.

"Do you hear that?" I asked making sure to keep it to a very quiet whisper, it was times like these I was glad I played a game or two of hide and seek so I know how to control my erratic breathing.

"Yah" he said simply going in the direction of the whispers that were coming from around the corner.

"I don't know what you want me to do?" Severus said to some other Slytherin students. My heart dropped into my stomach, what was he doing here. What was he doing in the middle of the night with these people?

"We want you to join us, HE has made you a deal and you can't refuse. You just need to do this little task" the presumed leader said a slick smile spreading like he knew something that was out of reach of everyone else. I gulped quietly, I felt like I was going to throw up.

"And what might that be?" Sev asked a clear annoyance in his tone, I could imagine the eye roll that would come from this interaction. There were things that Sev simply couldn't stand and that was useless prattle.

"Cozy on up to the Gryffindor and find out what that old bat is up to" the leader whose name I can only recall as Tobias sneered waving his arm angrily towards the ceiling. He wanted to know about the Order of the Phoenix, Dumbledore's group. He wanted Sev to be my friend so I would tell them about it, I couldn't believe it.

"And if I don't?" Sev asked his tone back to its usual bored expression. I waited without breath for what was to come next. At this point I had no idea what Sev would do, would he betray me?

"Then we might have to go and see your little friend for ourselves… You wouldn't mind though would you? After all you have been quite mean to the little bird these past weeks" Tobias said menacingly, Remus stiffened next to me clutching my hand in his as we pressed ourselves to the wall.

"Alright" was Sev's next reply it was simple and it was brisk and it ended the conversation. They all left in different directions after that and I slumped against the wall. I knew that he couldn't have agreed to it because he really wanted to be a part of such a group, but I also couldn't turn the blind eye to what was right in front of me. This whole situation was getting completely away from me, I had lost any sense of control I thought I had over what was happening to Sev. I had lost him…I was losing him.

"They won't touch you" Remus promised as he ground his teeth together. It wasn't only a promise to me but a silent threat to them as well.

"They already have" I said before walking back in the direction of the Common Room, I was done for tonight.


	25. Chapter 25

Disclaimer: I don't own anything but if I did that would have been cool.

I didn't know if it was possible but I was going to try and ignore Sev for as long as I could. What would I do if he tried to be friends again and I knew that it wasn't sincere? Would I accept him back in the hopes that I could somehow change him back to the moody Potions prodigy I knew? This whole situation was truly exhausting. I felt bad that I had let this happen right under my nose, how long had these monsters been trying to get to Sev? Had this been happening the whole time and I had been ignorant to it. Had I been too naïve to realize that so much was happening all this time.

"What are you thinking about?" Remus asked as we walked to the Great Hall for breakfast. It was sweet that he cared so much and wanted to help but he really didn't understand. Remus thought I should just give up on Sev (though he would never say it so bluntly). However, I just didn't know how to do that. How did you throw away seven years of friendship? When I had cried about how I failed my test in Potions it was Sev who had consoled me, told me that it would be alright and that he would help me. I know it might seem like that is nothing but it was something, Sev had always been there for me in the past so when it got hard was I just going to give up. I didn't think I could.

"Nothing, so do you know what your plans are for after graduation?" I asked pushing all thoughts about Sev to the back of my mind. Remus seemed to stiffen at my question, he hadn't yet talked to me about his condition but I waited patiently for the day when he felt I was ready to hear it. Sometimes I thought about just telling him that I knew, but I also knew that Remus needed to tell me himself.

"I don't know… How about you? Are you going to be a Dragon trainer?" he asked a smile finally coming forth. I laughed at his obvious joke. I don't think I could handle a job with so much threat.

"I think that I would rather grow plants" I said knowing how much I detested the subject. It wasn't that it was the worst but honestly I could think of a lot of better things to occupy my time.

"So what do you want to do?" he asked as we sat down next to the Marauders and Lily at the table. I thought for a moment while I put some food onto my plate. The Marauders seemed to take an interest in the conversation at hand and all turned their attention to us.

"I don't know" I said honestly, I suppose I should know by now but I didn't. It seemed like everyone I knew wanted to be something already and were making plans to do such but I didn't know. How I was supposed to know exactly what I wanted to do with my life and seventeen?

"I want to be an Auror, fighting dark Wizards and Witches" James said standing up and pretending to fight off evil beings. I laughed at him, though I knew that he would make a good Auror. So would Sirius, they had the knack of getting into trouble and finding a way out just the kind of qualities I thought you needed for the job.

"You're such a weirdo" I said fondly as he sat back down to eat the rest of his breakfast.

"I take offence" James said dramatically, bringing his hand to rest over where his heart was.

"You don't take offence to anything" Lily said speaking from experience of the days when she did nothing but insult him.

"Not from you" Sirius added eating his breakfast like he had said nothing at all.

"So Sirius how is Joanne doing?" I asked knowing that the Ravenclaw had just recently made a big scene about how much she hated Sirius Black.

"You know very well how that is going Theo" he said moodily stabbing his eggs. I laughed because he was right I had been the one to calm her down before she went on another rant about it. Sirius really just needed to find a decent girl who could handle him. Someone who knew how to put him in his place.

"We better get to class" Lily said always the one who was prompt to everything. I sighed because she was right, though I wouldn't mind staying at breakfast forever.

"Alright I will see you lot later" I said to James, Sirius and Peter who went their separate ways. Lily, Remus and I went our way to Potions.

"Theo" a voice behind me called once I was inside the Potions classroom. I froze, that voice belonged to none other than Severus Snape. So it had begun already, Sev was trying to become my friend again… For them.


	26. Chapter 26

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

"We need to stir is clockwise three times" Sev said as we worked on the potion that we were making. We hadn't actually said much to each other, which I didn't know if I should be happy or sad about. Remus kept sending worried glances my way.

"Alright" I mumbled in the hopes that soon we would be done and I would be able to leave this stupid class and return to Remus and Lily.

"How have you been?" Sev asked simply, it made me go ridged. I didn't know what to say or do. On one hand this was exactly what the little Snakes wanted but on the other maybe I could reach him. Maybe I could make him realize the mistake he was taking by following so blindly into a path he knew nothing about. However, there really was no way to know if this would even work I could be in bigger trouble if I messed this up.

"Fine. How have you been?" I finally asked holding my breath at my decision. I wasn't put into Gryffindor for my intelligence after all. Finally I chanced a glance at my old friend to find him conflicted. He didn't want to do this I could tell but he didn't have a choice at this point. If he wanted to be a part of the little group here at Hogwarts this was his chance.

"Lonely" he whispered not daring to look at me. I didn't comment on his response, how could I knowing that this wasn't actually an olive branch. It was like a faux olive branch and I was taking it like a fool. Sometimes I wished I had never met Sev, then I would never even have this problem. I would be able to go about my last year worrying about what I will do after school not worrying about whether or not my best friend was a crazed dark Wizard.

"I'll see you later alright?" I asked Sev once we had finished our potion and gave it to our Professor who as always gave all the praise to Sev. It was no secret that he practically kept me afloat in this class.

"Yes" he said as he packed his bag with his notebook. I nodded and went towards Lily and Remus who were at the door.

"How did it go?" Remus immediately asked looking to where Sev still packed his bag. I looked over my shoulder one last time before smiling to Remus.

"Fine… Let's go" I said pulling Remus and Lily out of the Potions classroom and away from Sev.

It wasn't until Lunch that I actually got to see Remus for more than a moment. We didn't have very many classes together except for Potions and DADA.

"Seventh year has to be the worst year of my life" I sighed sitting down next to Remus and across from James and Lily, Sirius and Peter sitting on our side.

"Why?" Lily asked picking up her goblet of Pumpkin juice. Of course she wouldn't know why, she was brilliant at her studies. I on the other hand barely passed as average. School just wasn't my thing I suspected.

"It's so hard Lily" I said dramatically flailing my hands in the air to show just how passionate I was about it. James gave me a sympathetic look before going back to his food.

"I think you should just give up now really, I saw you with that Charms essay. Obliterated it really" Sirius said in good humor, which I reached around Remus to give him a good whack on the arm. He feigned injury but laughed it off soon enough.

"Thanks" I said moodily stabbing the food on my plate.

"It can't be that bad" Remus said looking at me with a little doubt at my theatrics.

"Oh but it is dear Remus. I have been spoken to by not one but three of my teachers with my lack of knowledge in their subjects. I think that they said something like 'it would be a shame for your parents to know that you are not trying your hardest Miss King'. I think they think that my being average is equivalent to my not trying my hardest." I said sighing. My parents and I hadn't really spoken since the summer, which I wouldn't have minded if I hadn't known that this silence was because we were in the midst of a falling out. I suppose I just wished they could not be who they were, I wish they were like James's parents.

"Is it?" Lily asked looking up from her plate, I glared at her slightly.

"No… I am just not as smart as you guys. I excel at other things." I declared.

"What things?" Sirius asked looking at my innocently though if you knew Sirius you would know nothing he ever says or does is innocent.

"Lots of things… things that at the moment I would like to keep hidden. For reasons" I said not being able to think of a single thing that one of them were not good at that I just happened to be good at. The truth was that between the Marauders and Lily there wasn't much they couldn't do.

"Your good at plenty of things" Remus said comfortingly, I smiled gratefully at him but knew he was only saying that because he was my boyfriend.

"Yah snogging" Peter added unhelpfully which made Sirius and James laugh. I glared at Peter as if I could kill him right there before turning slightly from their direction. It was the best I could manage to show my anger, even if it was a little childish.

"Shut it" Remus said a blush rising to his cheeks in embarrassment. I patted his arm in the hopes that he would be comforted but he just blushed more as the others laughed louder.

"You boys are ridiculous" I said getting up from my seat at the table.

"Where are you going?" Remus asked in desperation, not wanting to be left alone with the likes of his friends who seemed to think Peters joke was hilarious.

"I promised Betty that I would walk with her to Care of Magical Creatures." I said smiling at him though I wasn't only just leaving to go to Betty but to also leave James, Sirius, and Peter to their laughing.

"Oh alright I will see you later" Remus said turning back to his plate which he found great interest in at the moment.

Betty stood at the entrance doors waiting for my arrival. I suppose her Lunch didn't take too long because of her lack of comrades in Slytherin.

"Hello" I said smiling as she looked from the floor and towards me.

"Hello, have a good Lunch?" she asked starting to walk side by side with me towards our class.

"It was interesting to say the least" I said thinking back to the conversation of my skills.

"That's good" she said though it sounded more like a question.

"Do you have any special talents?" I asked wondering if I was the only one who was abysmal at everything.

"I would say just Care of Magical Creatures. Other than that I wouldn't say I am particularly good at anything… Why?" she said still looking at the ground as was her habit. Even Betty had something that she was good at, wasn't that just depressing. Not that I thought Betty would not be, it's just that it would be nice to have a companion on this failure train.

"I seem to have no skills at all" I said in utter despair.

"I don't buy that at all Theo. everyone is good at something you just have to find out what" she was right, though how did someone go about finding what they were good at. I suppose that you just kind of fell into it.

"Your right Betty. I'll just have to keep my eyes peeled, maybe it'll help me find out what to do after school." I said a new skip to my step, I was hoping for the best. Though a part of me still felt like it was a hopeless cause.


	27. Chapter 27

Disclaimer: And I still don't own anything.

On Friday I got a letter at Breakfast, at first I thought it might be from my parents and even though I didn't agree with them I couldn't help but get a little excited at a letter from them. However, much to my shock it was from Greyson. I wondered what he could possibly be writing to me about, I thought I had made myself pretty clear the last time we chatted. With one look at my friends around me I opened the letter.

Dear Theo,

Don't think this is a love letter or anything, my parent's think that it would be a good thing to correspond while you're at school. I tried to tell them that you still don't want to marry me but they won't listen to me. So how is school? Failing everything yet? How is your boyfriend, what was his name? I have some news, it's about your parents. Do you want to know? I'll tell you anyway, word is that they have done something very bad. That HE is not happy with them. I hear they might get turned in as traitors. As I write this I am reminded how well this would work for you, to not have them around anymore. I wonder if you think the same. Or are you still clinging to this dumb thought that they might wake up one day and be alright with your life choices? Anyway I think this letter is long enough, talk when you can I guess.

Your parents' choice,

Greyson Mathison

What a creep I sighed folding up the stupid letter and putting is inside of my robe.

"From your parents?" Remus asked worriedly, he knew that my parents and I weren't on better terms since the last time I talked with them. I shook my head no, I didn't really want to tell him about Greyson but I knew that sooner or later I would have to tell him.

"It was from my parent's choice of my husband. Greyson Mathison do you remember him?" I asked waiting for his response with apprehension. There was no knowing how Remus would react to things like this. Most of the time he would just get quiet and ask me is I would rather be with them. I never understood why he thought I would just leave him for someone he thought was better.

"Do you like him?" he asked and I knew that this would be one of those of times.

"No, and we aren't really friends either" I said looking at Remus tiredly, for someone who was this cute he sure did have a lot of self-doubt.

"Could you like him?" he asked carefully, I didn't if he was trying to trap me or not but was annoyed with the whole conversation.

"Maybe as a friend. But ONLY as a friend" I said pointing my fork in Remus' direction as if to put emphasis on what I was saying. It was true, I could never imagine feeling anything romantic towards Greyson but he could be a very good friend if he could get over himself. Remus seemed relieved but that didn't mean he wouldn't try and tell me someone else was better than him.

"If you did chose someone like him things would be a whole lot easier" he mumbled though it seemed like vinegar coming from his lips. I sighed in frustration.

"Remus you know I don't want to be with someone like Greyson. If I wanted to be with someone like him I would and I'm not, I am with you." I said adamantly, hoping that he would understand that I didn't want to be with anyone but him.

"But why?" he asked looking at me. I didn't know why I even had to tell him why. Couldn't he see what a catch he was, that he was the best thing since anything.

"Because you're sweet, caring, and you're very pretty" I said a smile overtaking my face, he chanced a smile to.

"Alright, though I still think someone like him would be a better choice" he said before going back to his meal.

It wasn't until later in the evening that I was alone long enough to write a letter to reply to Greyson. I had a lot of questions about the things he said about my parents, the truth was that I was actually afraid that these rumors were serious.

Hello,

What do you mean that my parents are in trouble? And of course I wouldn't be happy with them being in such a situation. You really are a cad! Anyway, I'm sorry that your parents are putting you up to this, though honestly you deserve it. And my boyfriend's name is Remus, and no I am not failing everything… just most things. How are things anyway? How are you holding up? I do think we should be friends, though nothing else mind you.

Hopefully your friend,

Theo King

I scribbled hastily before rushing to my owl. Once I had secured the letter to my black owl's leg I watched as he flew off. Hopefully Greyson had more information on my parents, and hopefully it was good news.


	28. Chapter 28

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

I waited anxiously for Greyson's next letter, I wondered what it was that my parents had done. The last time I had seen them they had been perfect little Death Eaters, so what had changed? Were they framed? Were they already dead? It was almost too much, sure we had some differences but ultimately we were family…

"Can I talk to you?" Sev asked from behind me while I stood in the back of the library 'reading'.

"Sure" I mumbled casting a quick charm to silence our conversation. Something about the way he was talking made me think he didn't really want people to know what he was about to say.

"I… Sort of did something…" he said hanging his head low, I wondered if he was going to say what I thought he was going to say.

"And you need help?" I asked wondering if that was where it was going, I didn't know how I could help his situation though. I wasn't about to tell him anything about the group Dumbledore was putting together, or better yet the few little inklings I knew about.

"I just need you to pretend to forgive me… I know you can't but it really is for your own good" Sev said glancing around nervously. This was a turn of events that I hadn't thought of, I should have been happy with this new revelation though. This meant that Sev wasn't too far gone, but this couldn't have come at a worse time. I was focusing all my time and energy hoping that my parents weren't in any serious trouble, I didn't have time to worry about this too.

"Alright, I'll pretend forgive you" I said peering around Sev's shoulder in the lookout for an owl.

"Thanks… and if anyone asks you don't know anything about Dumbledore and his army… I mean anyone Theo" he said before abruptly turning on his heel and walked towards the dungeons. I wondered briefly what it was that he meant. Were there others not in the Slytherin house that were in on this, I mean it was possible. There were plenty of families that were for Pureblood supremacy but without the constant pressure of your peers was it enough to make you go to such extremes that Voldemort required from his followers? It certainly wasn't for me, but was that because I was best friends with a Muggle-born without Lily was it possible that I would have run into the arms of such a man?

"My letter" I exclaimed to nobody in particular since I was the only one in this side of the library. I took the letter from the owl and thanked it before tearing open Greyson's letter.

Dear Theo,

I am sorry… You should be called into Dumbledore's office soon, there will be officials waiting for you. They will tell you what I am guessing you already know. They found your parents bodies this morning. They think it was an accident but I think you and I both know what it was. It is unfortunate that it had to come to this and honestly it seems like a senseless death to me (though don't tell anyone I said that). I heard my parents speaking that they betrayed Him. That they wanted too much power and got greedy, it seems fitting doesn't it? That your parents should parish in such a way, they were always trying to sell you off for power. I am sorry, I know I shouldn't speak of such things when you are most likely terrified of what is to come. It will get better Theo, this is not the end of things but only the beginning.

Yours,

Greyson Matthison

I didn't know what to feel at his letter, they were gone. Truly? Was I really left alone in such a dark world, would my father never again laugh at something my mother thought ridiculous? Would my mother never again scold me on my behavior while she hid a slight smile? I looked up from the letter to find a solemn looking Professor McGonagall coming towards me. I looked at her curiously, she was probably coming to get me so the officials can tell me what I already know. It was humorous in a sad sort of way, that they thought this was to be quite the shock but I have known for a whole two minutes. That as we speak I was trying to formulate some sort of right feeling for this event. I couldn't find a right emotion, I am sure I should feel sad but the real thing about it was that I felt nothing at all.

"Miss King, would you come with me to the Headmasters office" she said delicately, she was already mourning my loss for me. She must have foresaw some sort of mental breakdown to come once the news had come from those strangers. She was a great person for that. It was sad that I could not give her what she obviously expected but then again I was the one supposed to have a free pass right now.

"Alright" I mumbled unsure as to what I should do, I quickly tucked the letter in my satchel though. I followed the Professor silently up to the Headmasters office, she occasionally would send me sympathetic glances. As I suspected once entering the Headmasters office I found two Ministry officials, they were stiff and unfriendly. I was surprised that they would send two people who were clearly not very empathetic, but how did I know that these people weren't actually working with Voldemort? They could very well be two members who infiltrated the Ministry and therefore would not be very sympathetic to me at all.

"Miss King?" the taller, older gentleman asked appraising me. I stood up unintentionally and jutted my chin out. I didn't want to be some orphan that they would laugh about later on, followers of Voldemort or not.

"Yes" I said as confident as I could, the man in his dark suit seemed pleased with my presence and looked down to papers he had in his hand.

"We have some bad news for you" the other younger gentlemen said, he though whether from actual feeling or just out of societal pressure seemed to be a little uncomfortable starting this conversation. I waited in baited breath as the younger man looked to the older for his words, obviously he was newer to this sort of thing otherwise he would have started without he older man's input.

"Your parents have had a terrible accident" I wanted to laugh at his words, to yell that it was Voldemort and his goons. But what difference would it make, they were dead and I was here. They had made their own alliances and it had gotten them killed. These people didn't care what I thought, and they wouldn't believe me even if they didn't actually know the truth. I strongly suspected that these two knew exactly what happened though, the older man had a glint in his eye. He seemed to enjoy this.

"What kind of accident?" I asked knowing already what was to come but needing to hear it from these officials. The younger official seemed to be taken aback by my calmness but I didn't care, who said what you were supposed to do anyway? Why fake some emotional breakdown for the benefit of others, the truth was that I felt absolutely nothing. Like I had temporally left my body and was simply a hollow shell.

"I terrible one" the older one said his voice cutting through the silence that had settled over all of us. I looked over to him sharply, he stood staring back.

"The funeral will be Saturday, you are to attend" the younger one said if only to stop the obvious stare down that was happening between the other official and I.

"Why must I attend?" I asked slowly moving to look at the younger man, he seemed puzzled at my words. I honestly couldn't think of anything I didn't like less than being somewhere where everybody says 'sorry' and looks at you in such a way they do at a funeral. My extended family would most likely be there, we hadn't even spoken in years. Why did I want to go and attend a funeral with them? Especially a funeral for my parents who I hadn't said a word to in so long? How could someone mourn with so many people saying 'sorry for your loss', like it was supposed to make me feel better.

"The Will and Testament will be read" the younger said simply, as if that was supposed to answer my question. I accepted it as such anyway, they would make me go I suppose.

"May I leave now?" I said turning to look at the Headmaster for the first time. He unlike the rest of the occupants didn't seem phased by my reaction to the news, I was grateful for that.

"Yes, that is all Miss King. Someone will come to get you on Saturday" he said and I was again grateful to him for not saying those dreaded words. I let my lips curl into a strained smile despite myself and turned to leave his office.


	29. Chapter 29

Disclaimer: I still don't own anything.

After the meeting in Dumbledore's office I didn't know what to do, if I went back to the dorms I would most likely run into Lily or a Marauder. Right now I couldn't handle Lily's understanding eyes, or Remus's awkward apology, even the thought of James or Sirius trying to make jokes made me feel annoyed. I guess when something happens to you the only thing you really need is time to think about it. What was going to happen after the funeral? I would finish out the year, but then what. I would be the heir to the King fortune, but what would I do with it. I didn't even know what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. Now I had so many open doors that it almost made me throw up. Not to mention that I wouldn't have parents anymore, not that they were exceptional at the job. Now though, it would be official I would be an orphan.

"King?" came a voice that I knew very well, I turned to see Sirius walking towards me at a leisurely pace. He looked annoyed but at what I didn't know, we were currently in a more secluded hall near the dungeons. It was strange to see him without the rest of the Marauders, I wondered what he was doing.

"Hello Sirius" I said simply waiting for him to reach me, I assumed he wanted to say something to me or else why call out to me in the first place.

"What's wrong?" he asked stopping abruptly to look at me more closely. I felt vulnerable under his steady, calculative gaze. Sirius was always the Marauder who could tell when something was wrong, it was a gift of his.

"Nothing" I lied hoping that I could just get out of this conversation and go back to my thoughts. Conversation right now seemed really hard, it was like I was choked up but no tears would come out.

"Come on" he said walking straight past me towards a stairs heading to somewhere I had never been. I sighed but followed him to an unknown destination. The stairs lead upwards, towards a tower that overlooked the Black Lake. It was nice, if not a little cold as the night dragged on. I glanced at Sirius after taking in the view, he was pulling out a cigarette from his pocket and placing it between his lips.

"Now, are you going to tell me what's wrong?" he asked lighting the cigarette up, he took a long smoke before taking it out of his mouth to rest between his fingers. I never could understand why people smoked, sure it was a calmer but it was so bad for you. Not that I was about to go in a nag about why he shouldn't be smoking.

"It's nothing, I'll figure it out" I said because I would. This would pass and I would live on, a death isn't the end of your life it's just the end of someone else's. It was a strange feeling to think of them as gone but it would get easier to think about, I knew that. It just hurt right now, it hurt like my heart had been ripped out of my chest and I didn't even know I had such strong feelings about my parents.

"Well it's a good thing you have friends to help you then" he said looking out to the Black Lake. Sometimes when I was in the mood, I thought about what it must be like to be Sirius Black. He was thought to be such the catch among the ladies of Hogwarts, but it wasn't just the girls the boys also seemed to flock to him. The girls wanted to date him and the boys wanted to be him. He was so much more than that though, I often wondered what he wasn't telling people. Who was the Sirius that wasn't simply the most popular boy in Hogwarts?

"What's wrong with you?" I asked finally, sensing the change in the air. Something was bothering him and if it would keep me from thinking of my parents I would help in a heartbeat.

"Nothing that won't pass. You know when my parents and I split I thought it was going to be the end of the world. That I wouldn't ever move past it, but I had James, Remus and Peter. That, I learned, was the only family I needed" he said looking at me, a wry smile plastered on his face as he absentmindedly flicked his cigarette.

"My parents died" I finally said waiting to see his reaction to my confession. He didn't move though, he just kept looking at me. His eyes held no pity, there was no joke spilling from his lips. We just stood there for a moment before he looked back out to the lake.

"That's too bad. Did HE do it?" he asked not daring to say the name everyone was thinking these days. I walked over to lean on the wall next to him, I looked out to the Black Lake as well.

"Yah" I whispered thinking about their last moments. It was probably horrible, they weren't probably shown any mercy.

"Well what are you going to do about it King?" he asked throwing his cigarette off of the building and watching it fall. My first thought was to tell him how very un-cool it was to liter, especially a cigarette but I decided the moment was the right time.

"What?" I asked instead, confused as what he meant. I mean what could I do, the damage was done. They were gone and there wasn't anything I could do about it.

"You can either sit here and watch those you love die, or you can do something about it. Sure you can't bring them back but you can make sure nobody will ever know the pain you're going through. So what are you going to do?"

"I guess I want to help" I said thinking about all the students I had heard had lost someone they loved, I had been a shoulder to cry on then. But what if I could do more, I wanted that. To help people not to go through the things others and I had gone through. War wasn't fair I was learning, but maybe I could help make it a little more fair.

"Well then no reason to feel down about it. Just pull yourself up and get busy… it will be alright Theo" he said finally a seriousness overtaking his features. I came into this thinking that Sirius could possibly understand or make me feel any better but I was wrong. It turns out he was exactly the person I needed to speak with.

"Thank you Sirius. You know you're always surprising me" I said smiling softly exhaling all the pain that had sunk deep within my bones.

"Only in a good way I hope" he said with a signature smirk, I laughed. It was good to be able to still find normalcy when nothing felt normal.

"Yah, well I'm off. I better get to bed… You should too" I said pushing off of the wall as he turned to face me.

"I think I'll stay a little longer" he said with a slight shrug. I wasn't really sure what he wanted to do out in the cold but I wouldn't pry. Before I left though I reached forward to envelop him in a hug, he stiffened upon contact but seemed to loosen up a small bit.

"Thanks again, Your like a brother to me Sirius" I said before letting him go he seemed uncomfortable with my public show of affection but I didn't let it ruin the moment and left the tower.


	30. Chapter 30

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

The funeral came much too early for my liking. I hated funerals on a normal day but your own parent's funeral? Catastrophic. If that wasn't all I also had to deal with my whole family, and if anyone thought my parents were bad the rest of my family didn't fall too far from the tree.

"You sure you don't want me to come with you?" Remus asked wringing his hands together in a nervous habit. They had all (minus Sirius) been acting on pins and needles after I had told them, but the truth was that I was doing pretty well. Somedays it felt like the world was ending and I was never going to be able to live normally again but on other days it felt like I would be able to do anything and I would be able to make it through this.

"Yah, it'll be better this way. If you meet my family you might change your mind about me" I said jokingly though Remus still had a serious expression on his very cute face. He was always overly serious, but I liked him despite it.

"Alright but if you need one of us don't hesitate to Owl or something" he said, I nodded my consent before taking his arm and dragging him down the stairs and towards Dumbledore's office. I would be meeting Professor McGonagall there and she would be taking me to the funeral. I was glad that none of my family had volunteered for the job because they all had a serious case of 'I think I'm better than you'. I didn't really want anyone to meet them, I expected that after this funeral and they learned that I wasn't about to join the Death Eater club we wouldn't talk much, and that was fine with me.

"Alright, I'll see you when I get back" I said once we got to the designated spot where I was to meet the Professor.

"Alright, try and have an alright time?" he said awkwardly remembering that the family gathering wasn't for the best of reasons.

My Aunt Penny was the outcast of the family, she had married a Half-blood and was a total disgrace as far as the rest of my family was concerned. She was firmly placed in the corner of every room and didn't dare move from her spot, her husband and children couldn't make it though I suspect it was for their own good.

"What a waste. Pendula was always a dreamer, a Hufflepuff. I can't believe that Grandmother even let her come" my cousin Camilla sneered looking in the direction of where Penny stood, silently drinking her punch. She was only twenty-five and already an affliction to the family. Camilla was the blessed child, she was sorted into Slytherin and was the achiever the King family had been waiting for. I hated her, she was mean and cruel. I looked at her for a moment and made my excuses, I had made up my mind to go to Penny.

"Hello" I said as Penny looked at me with wide grey eyes. She sputtered a hasty hello, not wanting to squander her opportunity for companionship.

"How are you?" I asked ignoring the looks from the other family members, a bunch of spiteful people.

"I'm good, I am sorry to hear about your loss" she said sincerely, for some reason it sounded better coming from her than the rest of my family.

"Yah, I don't know what I am going to do with this house" I said laughing slightly to get out of the awkward conversation of my parents death. Death I had decided made everyone seem more awkward than they were.

"I know what you mean, this place could compare to Hogwarts" she laughed and though I know she was joking (the house wasn't anywhere near as big as that) it gave me an idea.

"A school… That's a great idea Penny" I said looking around wildly with renewed optimism. My parents never really did anything good in their lives but they could do some good in death. I would start an orphanage where I would teach the children before they went off to Hogwarts or the like.


	31. Chapter 31

Disclaimer: I don't own anything

When I returned to Hogwarts after my parents funeral which turned out that they had indeed kept me in their Will and had left everyone else out of it. I wasn't surprised at their clear snub at the rest of the family, my father thought that his direct lineage was the only people to profit from his death. They went away from the funeral angry and declaring my father to be an absolute fool. I didn't care though, they weren't really my family anyway. That job belonged to Lily and the Marauders. Betty was finding her way to my heart as well, she seemed to be someone I could trust.

"How was the funeral?" Sirius asked as I saw Remus jab him in the ribs giving him a pointed look. In Sirius' nature though he simply shrugged him off and looked at me awaiting my answer.

"It wasn't quite what I was expecting but good all the same I think" I said as the rest of the group seemed more intrigued at my words.

"Well that's good right?" Lily asked with enthusiasm only she could muster on the subject of a funeral.

"I just want to forget the whole deal" I said pushing myself between Sirius and Remus on the couch in front of the fire. Sirius grumbled about girls taking up too much room but I ignored him and put my head on Remus' shoulder. They all seemed to be placated by my words and didn't speak of the funeral or my parent's death again.

As my seventh year progressed we all settled into a sort of schedule. Lily and I would spend our days walking to classes with each other, sometimes her other friends would accompany us. By the afternoon I would be studying with Remus for our exams and whatnot. Sometimes though when I was by myself be it that Lily was busy with James and Head Girl duties or Remus was off with the Marauders making mischief, I would sometimes sit in the Library with Severus. We wouldn't speak and we wouldn't really interact but I thought that it was the slow start to maybe finding some sort of friendship once more. I had hope, not a lot because I still remembered that he had been ordered to hang out with me from his Slytherin hoodlums but I still had hope.

"What are we going to do?" I asked Remus one night as we studied in the Library for our upcoming exams. Remus looked up, rings around his eyes from the lack of sleep and the upcoming full moon.

"About?" he asked a lazy smile appearing on his face. I looked at him exasperated, these exams would determine the rest of our lives. Graduation was looming around the corner and what would we do after?

"The exams? You know that if we fail these we will basically be lepers of the Wizarding community? This is literally life or death Remus" I said throwing my arms up in the air before dramatically throwing my head down on the table. Remus laughed at my clear display of dramatics but humored me anyway.

"Well isn't that why we are studying?" he asked putting down his quill and crossing his arms over his chest in a relaxed manner.

"Maybe I should be studying at meals too?" I said putting my finger on the corner of my mouth in a thoughtful way. Remus tilted his head and pushed his chair away from the table.

"I think we need a break" was all he said before coming around to the side where I sat.

"We still have a lot to cover tonight Remus. You know you might be fine being a smarty-pants and all but I have it on good authority I am not as smart as you and Lily" I said as he grabbed my hand and dragged me out of the library.

"You'll be fine" he said reassuringly but I wasn't so sure. I might have plans to open my family's estate to be a sort of orphanage/school but I still needed to be a well-educated Witch.

"You think? I mean I figure I just need some good scores in Potions and DADA…. Maybe Charms… That couldn't hurt right?" I asked as he dragged me towards the Astronomy tower. I think it was a common trend for people to come to the tower for it had the best view of Hogwarts.

"Let's not talk about the exams alright?" he asked and I nodded begrudgingly. We both leaned on the walls that over looked over the grounds.

"What are we going to do after graduation?" I asked knowing that it wasn't about exams so I could get away with asking.

"What do you mean" he asked glancing over to me. I chewed my bottom lip but decided to ask him what was on my mind anyway.

"What is going to happen to us?" I asked shyly, Remus straightened up before letting out a long exhale.

"I don't know… It's not that I haven't thought about it, because I have but…" he said turning out to look over the ground again. I knew what he wasn't saying. How could we work when out in the real world he would have to tell everyone what he was. I had money though, I didn't understand why it couldn't be as easy as I thought it was.

"You could come live with me" I offered knowing already that he wouldn't. Remus had pride, it was misplaced and he didn't have to always be alone but it was there none the less.

"I don't want to put you out" he said in a lame excuse. It was my time to sigh in frustration.

"You wouldn't" I argued knowing full well that it was useless. Remus didn't speak for a moment and I waited for whatever reason he would come up with to not agree with my plan.

"I just can't Theo. It isn't you. I promise that if I could I would but I can't…. Come on let's go finish up, it's getting late" he said before pushing off of the wall and walking down the steps, I followed him down knowing that this wasn't the end of that conversation.


	32. Chapter 32

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

One of the last Saturdays before we would be sent off into the world was met with great appreciation. The Marauders and Lily were all sprawled out by the Black Lake. It was one of the first days that promised a great summer. I had joined them for a while but sought refuge from the blinding sun in the familiar halls of Hogwarts. I still didn't know quite how to leave, was this not my home? I supposed there was a time for all young people to leave their homes but there was so much uncertainty these days. I was worried to say the least, I had thought that I would leave with Severus and Lily in tow but now… Now Severus was gone, taken by the promise of power and success. Lily was engrossed in her new budding romance, not that I didn't have one as well. It seemed though as everyone thought that we were growing closer I was growing more a part. I did not want to distance myself but found that the idea of fighting for the Order frightening. They all embraced the call, I think they all thought themselves heroes. All I thought of was how many were dying and how many of those people would be my friends. It certainly did not hurt that I was terrible at fighting, I sometimes wondered why I was sorted into Gryffindor at all.

"What's up?" Betty asked coming to match my strides. I smiled at her, we hadn't been able to spend a whole lot of time together as the year progressed. It seemed we both had been studying a lot for the upcoming exams.

"Just thinking about graduation" I said, I was certain that Betty was not about to join the Death Eaters but to what extent her opinions went I was unsure.

"And the war?" she asked casting me a glance that did nothing to ease my worries.

"Yah?" I questioned stopping in the middle of the deserted hall.

"I don't know about you but I figure that those who will really win this thing are those who don't enter at all" I knew where she was coming from. I sometimes wished I could be as impartial as she was however, with friends like mine you couldn't get away with be impartial.

"You don't believe in anything?" I asked now, she looked around for a moment.

"Does it matter? This thing is going to come to a head and then everything is going to go to hell… I just want to be able to live my life. I didn't sign up for any of this" she sighed.

"You aren't afraid your father might be targeted?" I had learned from our time together that Betty was a half-blood like Sev. Her father was a Muggle, to top it off he was Betty's favorite parent.

"I don't know" she said with a hint of guilt.

"I didn't mean…" I started but then I did didn't I? I think that this is what the others must be thinking. That if we didn't stand up who would? The Muggle families whose children would put targets on their backs. Those of us who could should fight for their innocent lives.

"No, I suppose your right. I don't know what to do, certainly it isn't too hard to ask that I can learn to take care of magical creatures and not partake in this ridiculous war?" she asked frustration becoming clear on her face.

"I don't know… I suppose the real question that needs to be answered is that if you don't will you be able to look at yourself in the mirror?" I answered truthfully. I knew the answer for myself, but I think that it was something everyone was facing right now.

I was in the library when I saw him. He looked sad, angry, and bitter. I suppose that only being surrounded by the junior Death Eater club it was bound to happen.

"Hey" I called as he passed my table. The few people who were in the library all looked up curiously at me. Some of the other Gryffindor's silently asked me if there was a problem, though seeing as I called to him I don't know how there could be. In any case I shook my head slightly, they went back to their work albeit reluctantly.

"Theo?" he asked startled by my talking to him.

"How are you?" I asked thinking back to the strange interactions we had recently had. He shrugged and looked around awkwardly.

"Sit, won't you? I have been meaning to speak with you before we all graduate" I said as he took the seat still stiff as a board.

"What about?" he asked not unkindly though it definitely could have been nicer.

"I wanted to let you know that if you ever want to I don't know come around I would be fine with that" I said thinking about how he was never really allowed over to my house when my parents were alive. I suppose now I could have anyone over.

"Lupin wouldn't mind?" he questioned.

"I won't be living with anyone" I mumbled, it was still a thing that I was upset about but I had to respect Remus' decision at least for now.

"I would like that..." he agreed somewhat reluctantly.

"I think that if we separate what is going on out there from us we could still be friends" I suggested though that seemed to be only a temporary fix.

"I don't know" he said his eyes taking a haunted look. I worried that he had already gotten too deep into this whole thing. A loud commotion at the front of the library caused both Sev and I too turn and look. The Marauders had come and were heading in this direction.

"I better go" Sev said hastily. Before he went I grabbed his arm.

"I mean it Sev, come to me if you have problems" I said before letting go of his arm, I watched as he fled to a different area of the library.

"Was that Snape?" Remus asked quietly as the other Marauders were too busy harassing Madam Pince to notice.


	33. Chapter 33

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

"The last weekend! We need to do something? But what? Any ideas Moony? King?" Sirius asked trying in vain to ignore the public display of affection that James and Lily were doing. We had all somehow managed to end up in the Common room together. It seemed that we had all been on different schedules but it was all coming to an end and I had to agree with Sirius, we needed to do something. It was the last time we would ever be here on the weekend again.

"Well we could head to Hogsmeade?" Remus suggested, Sirius gave a very heartbroken expression before waving his hand in the air as if to wave the thought away.

"That won't do Moony! This is the very last time we will all be able to break any of the Hogwarts rules, we have to take this chance and run with it" he exclaimed.

"We could have a party" James finally piped in. Sirius excited that for once his friend had pried himself from Lily turned towards his direction.

"That is a fantastic idea Prongs" a wide grin took hold on Sirius' face and I couldn't help but smile too.

"Isn't a party where Remus first said you were beautiful?" Lily asked a blush beginning to appear on both Remus and I's faces.

"That is not what happened" I growled, embarrassed that Lily would even bring that situation up.

"Oh yah, Moony got smashed and was all over you" James said brightening up at the prospect of making fun of their friend.

"It was pretty funny" Peter added in, very unhelpfully I might add.

"You know I think we should just focus on getting the party things" I said standing up abruptly, the other four tried their best to hide their amusement but ultimately failed much to my disappointment.

The party seemed to be a success. Everyone who was invited, which consisted of most of the castle seemed to be having a good time. There was drinking and laughing and for once none of the others were near Remus and I to tease us.

"This was a good idea" I declared sipping on the alcohol that Remus had gotten me.

"Yah, sometimes Sirius can come up with some" he joked. I was glad that we could have these moments where our problems weren't right around the corner.

"When do you think James will pop the question?" Remus asked a smile planted firmly on his face. I could tell he was already a little buzzed.

"I would say soon" I laughed catching a glimpse of the pair talking to each other in a corner.

"That isn't an answer" he said a little sloppy, the alcohol was beginning to take hold.

"I think that they will have a happy family by twenty-one" I said triumphantly.

"And when will we have a happy family?" now I knew that the alcohol had taken control because a sober Remus would never talk about such things.

"Probably when you get your head out of your ass" I said noting to myself that my mouth had a brain of its own tonight.

"That is not fair" he laughed though his face showed no trace of humor.

"It's the truth" I mumbled taking another drink. If I was going to have any serious talk right now I would need a lot more alcohol.

"Well, maybe I will soon" he said it like it was a threat but I would gladly live with him and eventually have a family. He was the only one in the way.

"Alright" I said sober enough to know not to keep this discussion going.

"Alright" he mirrored, I noticed a slight anger to his voice but it was soon gone as he staggered over to Sirius who had his arm around a particularly smashed Hufflepuff sixth year.

"I am going to marry Theo King and have babies with her" he yelled a little too loudly to only be talking to Sirius. The whole party probably heard him but luckily they were all on their own highs to take Remus seriously.

"That's great!" Sirius exclaimed a sparkle in his eyes that told me he wasn't as drunk as his friend.

"Come on Remus! Let's go to bed" I said pulling him away from Sirius and the Hufflepuff girl.

"Alright, let's start now" he laughed and I rolled my eyes.

"Nope, you are going to bed" I said a motherly tone finding its way to my voice.

"Alright Mom" he said angrily but as soon as we were at his bed he dropped straight onto the bed.

"Sleep tight Remus, perhaps tomorrow they won't remember this incident" I laughed not all mad that they probably wouldn't forget it that easily.

"I love you" said before he rolled onto his side to sleep. I froze in spot, those were the words I were waiting to hear for forever but this wasn't exactly the situation I was hoping they would come. I hoped that I would get a sober 'I love you' but I would have to be ok with a drunk one.


	34. Chapter 34

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

Graduation was upon us. I had hoped that my parents could see me graduate and possibly be proud of me but I had to be fine with their absence. After all it wasn't their fault they were dead. Penny and her family had agreed to come to my graduation. I thought that I should have some sort of family there and Penny really was a great person.

"We did it!" James said holding onto his parchment with pride. I smiled at his apparent happiness. I was happy too, I was definitely sad that we would be leaving once and for all but I was determined to make everything work out in the real world.

"I can't believe King made it. For a while we were really worried" Sirius said good-naturedly. I smacked him lightly and we laughed.

"I would have you know that I actually got pretty good scores on my exams" I added though the truth was I did alright. It didn't matter though, I was fine with being the dumb one of the group well along with Peter.

"Enough teasing" Remus said not too unkindly but there was an edge to his voice that left the others quiet on the subject. I grabbed his hand and squeezed it in thanks, sometimes the teasing could get a little unbearable.

"Come on Remus, I want you to meet some of my family" I said pulling him along before the others could tease him about meeting my family.

"Penny? Colin?" the two had their backs to us and were in deep conversation with their son Albert.

"Oh! I am so proud of you Theo" Penny said instantly pulling me into a hug. I smiled shyly at her display of affection but appreciated it.

"I would like to introduce you to me boyfriend, Remus Lupin" I said motioning to Remus who politely shook their hands.

"How handsome" Penny gushed and I couldn't help but smile at the blush that creeped over his face at the praise.

"I guess getting the cuties are family trait" I joked motioning to Colin who in turn blushed as well. Colin was one of the nicest people you would ever meet but that sometimes met that he was a door mat to other people. I sometimes wondered if he ever did really speak at all.

"Thanks" he mumbled in a shy sort of way.

"I suppose you would probably want to go out with your friends but whenever your free next we would love to have you over to dinner?" she suggested a sort of anxious look twisting her features. I half suspected she believed I would refuse.

"I would love to! I will owl you?" I said before hugging them goodbye.

"They seem nice" Remus ventured knowing that my family and I don't have a good track record.

"They are about the only ones" I snorted, I think that Penny and her family were probably the only family members I could actually hold a conversation with.

"Do… Do you want to meet my family?" he asked suddenly. I blinked a few times at his words, he was asking me to meet his family willingly?

"Of course!" I smiled finally registering what he was asking and what this possibly meant for our future. After all when a guy asks you to meet his family its serious isn't it?

"Mom? Dad?" he said tentatively, the couple turned to look at the son. Their smiles were beaming, I expect that they had never really thought this day would come. Their son had graduated from Hogwarts. They were by no means as poor as Severus and his family were but I could tell by their well-worn clothes that they would be in no ways able to support their son as he tried to make his way out into the world. For some reason it made me angrier with Remus for refusing my help, he would surely need it.

"This is Theo" he said and I couldn't help but feel my chest deflate at the meeting. 'Theo' that was all I was, no official title like I had added. I didn't really want to think about what that meant or if it even meant anything so I tried to push it into the back of my mind. The bad thing though was it refused to leave.

"Hello, it's very nice to finally meet the two people who raised such a wonderful man" I said making sure to hug them both instead of the handshakes they were obviously expecting from me. I wanted to make the best impression I could and handshakes were so formal.

"Well it certainly is nice to meet the young lady Remus hasn't stopped talking about" Mrs. Lupin said teasing her son with a glint in her eyes.

"Mom" Remus said blushing profusely now. I laughed at his obvious distress.

"Thank you" I said awkwardly knowing that this was as far as I ever got with this scenario in my head.

"We best be going" Remus said in a hurry.

"It was very nice to meet you" I called as Remus dragged me away from his smiling parents.

"That was terrible" he mumbled.

"I think it went well" I replied trying to make him feel better about it.


End file.
